Treating a Large Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm With Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery With a Physician-Modified Graft.

CLINICAL IMPACT: Large thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms due to chronic aortic dissection in patients with connective tissue disorders such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome present a challenging scenario, particularly in cases of variant anatomy and when patients are not candidates for conventional open repair. We demonstrate how by combining and modifying off-the-shelf devices during a hybrid procedure, one can create an endovascular solution tailored to the patient's complex anatomy, making use of an aberrant right subclavian artery, and allow for good clinical outcomes.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of stroke rates in patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair for descending thoracic aortic aneurysm and type B dissection.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the stroke rates after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for descending thoracic aortic aneurysms and/or dissections. METHODS: A systematic search of all the literature reported until September 2021 was performed according to the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. The pooled perioperative stroke rates and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using fixed or random effect methods. RESULTS: A total of 878 study titles were identified by the initial search strategy, of which 43 were considered eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. A total of 5764 patients (63.5% male) were identified among the eligible studies. The pooled any stroke rate was 4.4% (95% CI, 3.60%-5.28%). However, after procedures without left subclavian artery (LSA) ostial coverage (eg, TEVAR deployed within or distal to zone ≥3), the stroke rate was 3.15% (95% CI, 2.21%-4.22%). For the patients with LSA coverage, the pooled stroke rate was 2.8% (95% CI, 1.69%-4.14%) for patients receiving left subclavian artery revascularization. However, the patients without LSA revascularization had a pooled estimated stroke incidence of 11.8% (95% CI, 5.85%-19.12%). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke has been a common finding after TEVAR, especially with LSA coverage without revascularization, validating current clinical practice guidelines recommending routine revascularization, when feasible. Additional studies with larger patient numbers that provide separate data regarding the aortic pathology treated, the anatomic location of the stroke and their association with functional recovery and survival are needed.

Mortality and Major Adverse Events Improve With Increased Institutional Experience for Fenestrated and Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate temporal trends in outcomes at our institution in the context a more heterogenous application of fenestrated/branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR). METHODS: Patient and aneurysm characteristics, procedure details, and postoperative outcomes were collected for consecutive patients undergoing F/BEVAR between 2002 and February 2019 at our institution. Outcomes were compared between tertile 1 (T1, 2002-2010, n=47), T2 (2011-2014, n=47), and T3 (2015-February 2019, n=47). RESULTS: We included 141 patients (74.8 ± 8.1 years, 83% male) with a mean follow-up of 28.0 ± 31.6 months. Proportion of patients with hypertension (63.8% T1, 85.1% T3, p=0.009), diabetes (6.4% T1, 29.7% T3, p=0.005), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; 27.6% T1, 42.5% T3, p=0.07), and history of stroke (4.2% T1, 17% T3, p=0.07) increased over time. Aneurysm diameter (65.3±11.4mm) and extent (56.0% juxtarenal/pararenal, 22.0% type IV, 22.0% type I-III) did not differ between groups. Custom made devices were implanted in 96.5% of cases with 3.4 ± 0.7 vessels reimplanted/case. There was a trend toward increased history of aortic surgery (p=0.008) and less custom made devices (p=0.007) in T3.Total procedure time (383.5±119.2 minutes T1, 316.2±88.4 T3, p=0.02), contrast volume (222.8±109.1 mL T1, 139.2±62.7ml T3, p<0.0001), and estimated blood loss (601.3±458.1 mL T1, 413.3±317.7 mL T3, p=0.02) decreased over time. Overall 30-day mortality was 6.3%, 10.6%-T1, 6.3%-T2, and 2.1%-T3 (p=0.09). We noted significant improvement in survival over time; 1- and 3-year survival was 79% and 56%, 89% and 83%, and 90% and 90%, for T1, T2, and T3, respectively (p=0.007). In all, 467 of 480 target vessels were revascularized (97.3% success). Reintervention rate (30-day: 13.5%, follow-up: 34.7%) and reintervention free survival was not significantly different between groups. Any major adverse event (MAE) occurred in 36.9% of patients overall with a significant decrease from early (51.1%), mid (34.9%), to late in our experience (25.5%, p=0.03). In multivariate analyses, increasing institutional experience (T3), procedure time, age, and sex were independent predictors of major adverse events. CONCLUSION: We have shown improvement in F/BEVAR outcomes including mortality, MAEs, and procedural metrics with increasing institutional experience. We postulate that a combination of advancements in technique, surgical team and postoperative care experience, graft design and stent technologies, and patient selection contributed to improvement in outcomes.

A Ten-year Single-center Surgical Experience With Symptomatic Complete Vascular Rings.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the management of complete vascular rings (CVR) in adults. We reviewed our institution's surgical experience in the management of these patients. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2019, all adult patients that underwent a thoracotomy for a CVR repair were identified. We performed a retrospective medical record review of these patients to characterize their demographics and outcomes. RESULTS: Among the 5 patients identified (3 females, 2 males; Mean age 50 ± 9 years), anatomic variants were right arch and Kommerell diverticulum (KD) in 3 (60%) and double aortic arch in 2 (40%) patients. Indications for operation included dysphagia in 4 (80%), respiratory symptoms in 3 (60%) and aneurysmal KD in 1 (20%) patient. Two right aortic arch exclusion, 1 ligamentum arteriosum (LA) division, 1 LA division combined with a KD resection and 2 aortic reconstructions with interposition Dacron graft under partial cardiopulmonary bypass, were performed. Two carotid-subclavian artery transpositions prior to the thoracotomy were done. The postoperative length of stay was 10.0 (IQR 7.3-14.8) days. One reoperation for chylothorax and 1 for symptoms recurrence were performed for the same patient. Over a follow-up period of 1.4 (IQR 0.4-7.0) years, no mortality or major postoperative complications occurred. At their last follow-up visit, all patients reported no related remaining symptoms, except for persisting mild asthma in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Open repair of CVR in adults can be performed safely with low complication rate. Symptoms improved in all patients after definitive repair.

Low Psoas Muscle Area is Associated with Increased Mortality and Spinal Cord Injury After Complex Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

BACKGROUND: Low psoas muscle area (PMA) is associated with worse post-operative outcomes. Our objective was to evaluate the association of PMA and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing fenestrated/branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR). METHODS: Patient characteristics, anatomical and clinical information, and post-operative outcomes were collected from patients undergoing F/BEVAR between 2005-February 2019 who were deemed too high-risk for open repair. PMA was measured using a validated web-based software (coreslicer.com). Post-operative outcomes were compared between patients with low PMA (lowest quartiles) and high PMA (highest quartiles). RESULTS: We included 129 patients with a mean age of 74.6 ± 8.1, 81.4% male, and a mean follow-up of 29.4 ± 32.2 months. Patients in the low PMA group were more likely to be female (33.8% vs. 3.1%, P < 0.0001), less likely to have hypertension (72.3% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.03), dyslipidemia (63.1% vs. 78.1%, P = 0.06), and a trend towards a greater history of endovascular aneurysm repair (4.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.08). There were no significant differences in aneurysm or device characteristics between groups. In a multivariate model including age, sex, aneurysm type, and presence of prophylactic spinal drain, the low PMA group had a significantly increased risk of spinal cord injury (odds ratio 12.7, 95% CI 1.1-143.6). There were no significant differences in other 30-day outcomes. When compared to the highest quartile, the lowest PMA quartile patients had a hazard ratio of 4.6 (95% CI 1.2-17.6) for mortality during follow-up in a model with age, sex, and aneurysm type. For each 1 cm2 increase in PMA, the HR was 0.90 (95% CI 0.82-0.99) for mortality during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk patients undergoing F/BEVAR low PMA is associated with spinal cord injury and mortality during follow-up. We found no association between PMA and 30-day mortality. PMA measurement is a simple method to assess for sarcopenia and frailty and may be useful for risk stratification pre-operatively.

Cerebral microbleeds following thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

BACKGROUND: Stroke and neurological injury are a complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are common in patients with white matter damage to the brain secondary to chronic vasculopathy. The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of CMBs after TEVAR, and to evaluate their association with patient and procedural factors. METHODS: Patients who underwent TEVAR between September 2018 and January 2020 in two specialist European aortic centres were analysed. All patients underwent postoperative susceptibility-weighted MRI. The location and number of CMBs were identified, and analysed with regard to procedural aspects, clinical outcome, and Fazekas score as an indicator of pre-existing vascular leucoencephalopathy. RESULTS: Some 91 patients were included in the study. A total of 1531 CMBs were detected in 58 of 91 patients (64 per cent). In the majority of affected patients, CMBs were found bilaterally (79 per cent). Unilateral CMBs in the right or left hemisphere occurred in 16 and 5 per cent of patients respectively (P < 0.001). More CMBs were found in the middle cerebral than in the vertebrobasilar/posterior and anterior cerebral artery territories (mean(s.d.) 3.35(5.56) versus 2.26(4.05) versus 0.97(2.87); P = 0.045). Multivariable analysis showed an increased probability of CMBs after placement of TEVAR stent-grafts with a proximal diameter of at least 40 mm (odds ratio (OR) 6.85, 95 per cent c.i. 1.65 to 41.59; P = 0.007) and in patients with a higher Fazekas score on postoperative T2-weighted MRI (OR 2.62, 1.06 to 7.92; P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: CMBs on postoperative MRI are common after endovascular repair in the aortic arch. Their occurrence appears to be associated with key aspects of the procedure and pre-existing vascular leucoencephalopathy.

Silent Brain Infarction After Endovascular Arch Procedures: Preliminary Results from the STEP Registry.

OBJECTIVE: Few data exist concerning the rate of silent cerebral ischaemic events following endovascular treatment of the aortic arch. The objective of this work was to quantify these lesions using the STEP registry (NCT04489277). METHODS: This multicentre retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients treated with an aortic endoprosthesis deployed in Ishimaru zone 0-3 and brain diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) within seven days following the procedure. DW-MRI was performed to identify the location and number of new silent brain infarctions (SBI). All endografts were carbon dioxide flushed prior to implantation. RESULTS: The study population included 91 patients (mean age, 69 years; men, 64%) from two academic centres treated between September 2018 and January 2020. The procedure was elective in 71 patients (78%). The treatment was performed for a dissection, degenerative aneurysm, or other aortic disease in 44 (49%), 34 (37%), and 13 (14%) patients, respectively. Endografts were deployed in zone 0, 1, 2 or 3 in 23 (25%), 10 (11%), 47 (52%), and 11 (12%) patients, respectively. Endografts were branched (25%), fenestrated (17%), or tubular (58%). At 30 days, there were no deaths or clinical strokes. On cerebral DW-MRI, a total of 245 SBI were identified in 45 patients (50%). Lesions were in the left hemisphere in 63% of the patients (153/245), predominantly in the middle territory (94/245). Deployment in zone 0-1 (p = .026), placement of a branched or fenestrated endograft (p = .038), a proximal endoprosthesis diameter ≥ 40 mm (p = .038), and an urgent procedure (p = .005) were significantly associated with the presence of SBI on univariable analysis, while urgent procedure was found to be an independent predictor on multivariable analysis (binary logistic regression) (p = .002). CONCLUSION: SBI following endovascular repair of the aortic arch is frequent, although there were no clinical strokes. Innovative strategies to reduce the risk of embolisation need to be developed.

Three-dimensional printing for surgical planning of a double aortic arch case.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Over the past years, three-dimensional (3D) models of patient-specific anatomical conditions are being used to improve the comprehension and surgical management of a variety of diseases. It is an additional diagnostic tool that aids clinical decision-making. Furthermore, this technology is still not routinely used in the medical field since its availability is limited by cost and complex process. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe a patient with a balanced-type double aortic arch encircling trachea and esophagus. Considering the clinical symptoms, surgical decompression of these structures and defined aortic arch reconstruction was indicated. The 3D printed model revealed narrowing of the left aortic arch at the junction of the descending thoracic aorta that did not clearly appear on the conventional images reconstruction. The left aortic arch was divided and the symptoms completely disappeared. No immediate or late complications occurred. CONCLUSION: 3D printed models can be helpful in surgical planning of congenital heart malformations. It should be strongly considered as an additional tool in complex cases.

Long-term survival after endovascular and open repair in patients with anatomy outside instructions for use criteria for endovascular aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials of long-term survival for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms have compared open surgical repair (OSR) with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in patients with suitable aortic anatomy for EVAR. However, in clinical practice, patients who do not meet instructions for use (IFU) criteria are often still treated by EVAR despite that some studies show higher graft-related adverse events. The goal of this study was to compare the long-term survival of EVAR and OSR in patients with anatomy outside IFU criteria for EVAR. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with at least one anatomic IFU violation for EVAR undergoing either elective EVAR or elective OSR for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Demographics, anatomic data, and follow-up data of patients were collected from three academic centers from 2003 to 2016. Device-specific IFU were used for EVAR patients, whereas generic IFU for EVAR were applied to the OSR patients. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and long-term all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were aneurysm-related mortality and perioperative complications at 30 days. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed. Inverse propensity score weights were used to adjust for differences in treatment selection. RESULTS: The study population included 202 EVAR patients and 224 OSR patients with at least one anatomic IFU violation for EVAR. EVAR patients were older (78.1 ± 7.3 vs 70.9 ± 7.0 years; P < .001) and less likely to be hypertensive (69.3% vs 79.0%; P = .02) compared with OSR patients. OSR patients were more likely to have proximal aortic neck IFU violations (75.0% vs 47.1%; P < .001) and were less likely to have iliac IFU violations (65.2% vs 79.2%; P < .001). All-cause mortality was 37.6% in the EVAR group and 24.1% in the OSR group with a median follow-up time of 5.2 (3.5-7.2) and 5.4 (2.8-9.3) years, respectively (P < .002). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significant association between patients undergoing OSR and increased long-term survival (log-rank P < .0001). When adjusted for possible confounders and weighted for propensity for treatment through Cox hazard modeling, the association remained significant (hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-0.9). Aneurysm-related mortality was 3.5% in the EVAR group and 2.2% in the OSR group during long-term follow-up (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified that patients with IFU violations have higher overall long-term survival with open surgery compared with EVAR. Caution should be applied in considering standard EVAR for patients with anatomy outside of IFU.

Any nonadherence to instructions for use predicts graft-related adverse events in patients undergoing elective endovascular aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: A variety of devices exist for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Device-specific instructions for use (IFU) detail anatomic constraints to application and deployment of devices and are developed from rigorous bench testing. Nonadherence to IFU occurs frequently to avoid open surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine if IFU violations are associated with increased risk of graft-related adverse events (GRAEs) during follow-up. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective observational study included patients undergoing elective endovascular repair for abdominal aneurysmal disease with three different devices. Demographics, anatomic data, and follow-up data were collected on patients from 2005 to 2014. IFU violations were device specific and included neck diameter, length, and angulation and iliac artery diameter and length. GRAEs included a composite outcome of reintervention, migration, endoleak (type II excluded), rupture, limb occlusion, sac growth, and aneurysm-related mortality during the follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed. Any IFU violations as well as neck-specific IFU violations were analyzed. RESULTS: In 461 patients undergoing EVAR, 43.8% had at least one IFU violation. Patients with IFU violations were more likely to have peripheral vascular disease (12.4% vs 7.3%) and were less likely to be male (78.7% vs 90.3%). The most frequent IFU violations included diameter deviations of the neck (15.2%) and of the iliac artery (21.4%). Overall, the GRAE rate was 12.8%. Median follow-up time was 1.9 and 2.1 years for patients with and without an IFU violation, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival revealed a significant association between the presence of an IFU violation and GRAEs (log-rank, P = .031). When adjusted for clinical variable through Cox hazard modeling, the association remained significant (hazard ratio 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.1). When neck-specific violations were considered independently, Kaplan-Meier survival (log-rank, P = .003) and Cox modeling (hazard ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.0) revealed a significant association between neck-specific IFU violation and GRAEs. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 43.8% of patients undergoing EVAR had a device-specific IFU violation, indicating that implanters are pushing the boundaries of device capabilities. Our study identified that any IFU violation was significantly associated with GRAEs over time. Caution should be applied to patients being considered for EVAR when IFU deviations exist.

An institutional study of time delays for symptomatic carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess time delays between first cerebrovascular symptoms and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) at a single center and to systematically evaluate causes of these delays. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients who underwent CEAs between January 2010 and September 2011 at a single university-affiliated center (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Montréal-Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, Montreal) were identified from a clinical database and operative records. Covariates of interest were extracted from electronic medical records. Timing and nature of the first cerebrovascular symptoms were also documented. The first medical contact and pathway of referral were also assessed. When possible, the ABCD2 score (age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of symptoms, and diabetes) was calculated to calculate further risk of stroke. The nonparametric Wilcoxon test was used to assess differences in time intervals between two variables. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess differences in time intervals in comparing more than two variables. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed using covariates that were determined to be statistically significant in our sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 111 patients with documented symptomatic carotid stenosis undergoing surgical intervention. Thirty-nine percent of all patients were operated on within 2 weeks from the first cerebrovascular symptoms. The median time between the occurrence of the first neurologic symptom and the CEA procedure was 25 (interquartile range [IQR], 11-85) days. The patient-dependent delay, defined as the median delay between the first neurologic symptom and the first medical contact, was 1 (IQR, 0-14) day. The medical-dependent delay was defined as the time interval between the first medical contact and CEA. This included the delay between the first medical contact and the request for surgery consultation (median, 3 [IQR, 1-10] days). The multivariate regression model demonstrated that the emergency physician as referral source (P = .0002) was statistically significant for reducing CEA delay. Patients who were investigated as an outpatient (P = .02), first medical contact with a general practitioner (P = .0002), and hospital center I as referral center (P = .045) were also found to be statistically significant to extend CEA delay when the model was adjusted over all covariates. In this center, there was no correlation between ABCD2 risk score and waiting time for surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of our cohort falls short of the recommended 2-week interval to perform CEA. Factors contributing to reduced CEA delay were presentation to an emergency department, in-patient investigations, and a stroke center where a vascular surgeon is available.

Inverted Ovation iX Limb to Treat an Isolated Common Iliac Artery Aneurysm.

In recent years, endovascular aneurysm repair has become the predominant method of managing abdominal aortic and common iliac artery aneurysms. Off-label use of different endovascular devices has allowed them to remain a viable option in many cases of atypical anatomy. Some studies have reported the use of iliac devices in an upside-down configuration when the common iliac artery aneurysm has a reverse-tapered morphology. However, the use of the Ovation iX (Endologix) limb in an upside-down configuration has not yet been reported. This limb offers a 14 mm distal end when inverted and offers good patency in the tortuous iliac morphology. This case report describes and illustrates the precise deployment of an inverted Ovation iX limb to treat an isolated common iliac artery aneurysm.

Closure Device Migration: An Unusual Cause of Acute Limb Ischaemia Following a Simple Endovascular Procedure.

Introduction: Acute limb ischaemia resulting from foreign body embolisation is an infrequent yet critical complication associated with vascular closure devices (VCDs). Despite the widespread use of VCDs, rare complications such as fragment emboli pose unique challenges, necessitating heightened clinical awareness. This case report presents a case of acute limb ischaemia caused by a VCD malfunction following an endovascular procedure. Report: A 70 year old male who was diagnosed with a severe claudication of the lower extremity (Rutherford III) due to right common iliac stenosis, underwent angioplasty using a FemoSeal (Terumo Ltd., Surrey, UK) to close the right femoral artery access. Two weeks later, the patient presented with acute lower limb ischaemia due to a right popliteal-tibial occlusion. Emergency surgical thrombo-embolectomy was successfully performed from a medial popliteal approach, and the thrombus, which contained a polymer disc from the VCD at its distal end, was completely removed. Discussion: Despite VCDs being proven safe and efficient, rare complications such as fragment emboli can occur, and physicians should be aware of the possible delayed onset of symptoms. Moreover, the radiolucent nature of the polymer disc in a FemoSeal complicates diagnostic imaging. While endovascular approaches exist, open surgery is a safe and effective strategy for retrieving fragments and treating the patient in acute limb ischaemia cases. Conclusion: Physicians should remain vigilant for embolic risks associated with vascular closure devices, even with suitable anatomy and following guidelines, especially considering the trend toward early ambulation and discharge.

Endovascular treatment of an iatrogenic right subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm associated with an arteriovenous fistula.

This report describes the case of a frail 36-year-old patient who underwent an endovascular treatment of a right subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm (SAP) associated with an arteriovenous fistula secondary to a traumatic central venous catheter insertion. The deployment of a covered stent from the innominate to the right common carotid artery combined with coiling of the SAP and the internal mammary artery was performed. Two additional covered stents were deployed from the vertebral artery to the distal subclavian artery to preserve right upper extremity circulation. This case highlights the feasibility of an endovascular treatment of a complex SAP in a candidate unsuitable for open surgery.

A mycotic aneurysm of a jejunal branch treated by aneurysmectomy without bowel resection.

Jejunal artery pseudoaneurysms are extremely rare, accounting for <1% of all visceral artery pseudoaneurysms. Fewer than 50 cases were reported in literature during the previous century. This case report describes the case of a 72-year-old man who underwent aneurysmectomy to treat a 21-mm mycotic jejunal artery pseudoaneurysm found in the setting of endocarditis. This pseudoaneurysm was treated with laparotomy, and gentle dissection of the tissues surrounding the pseudoaneurysm was performed before ligation and resection. This allowed for vascular collateral branch preservation, which, thus, avoided concomitant bowel resection. This report highlights the feasibility of this technique.

Management of Etonogestrel implant migration into the pulmonary artery.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between time since contraceptive implant placement and retrieval outcomes in patients with implant migration into the pulmonary artery. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed all cases of pulmonary artery implant migration referred to the Marie Lannelongue hospital from 2015 through 2020. Using our hospital database, we collected patients' clinical data and removal information to assess the success of therapeutic management according to the delay between implant insertion and removal. RESULTS: We identified 8 cases. Physicians located 2 in the upper and 6 in the lower lobe. Five patients had associated pulmonary symptoms, most commonly, chest pain and dyspnea. Physicians attempted an endovascular procedure in all cases with successful removal in 3 patients. In the 5 failures, angiography displayed arterial thrombosis distal to the implant. These patients had successful removal with an open mini-thoracotomy (< 5 cm). None of the 8 patients had serious post-operative complications. For the 3 patients with successful endovascular retrieval, 2 had early diagnosis (≤ 3 months). CONCLUSION: Endovascular approach with angiography should be performed as a first line treatment modality. Endothelialization and fibrosis within the vessel represent the principal limitations of endovascular strategy, but a retrieval could be attempted anyway with caution. In case of failure, an open approach is required. IMPLICATIONS STATEMENT: When a migration into the pulmonary artery is diagnosed, health care professionals should refer patients as soon as possible to a tertiary center with a vascular surgery and/or interventional radiology and thoracic surgery departments.

Endovascular management of chronic post-dissection aneurysms of the aortic arch.

This article reviews endovascular management of chronic post-dissection aneurysms of the aortic arch. Therapeutic strategies intended for this complex aortic condition are evolving rapidly to allow the treatment of various hostile aortic anatomy and frail patients. Principles, technical considerations, devices and outcomes of each technique are reviewed and summarized. Hybrid repair offer similar early mortality and stroke rates compared to open conventional surgery. Arch chimney and other parallel graft techniques present poor long term outcome, and should be limited to emergency situations where no other option is available. Fenestrated stent-grafting is subjected to many technical challenges in aortic arch due to difficulties in stent-graft orientation and fenestration positioning. In situ fenestration is an off-label technique that should only be used as an emergency bailout maneuver, considering that temporary coverage of supra aortic trunk vessel and its long-term durability raise concern. Finally, in experienced hands and appropriate anatomic conditions, arch branched graft technology has shown itself to be a safe and effective alternative to open conventional surgery. No randomized controlled trials have yet compared total endovascular aortic arch repair with hybrid techniques and open arch repair. The management of chronic post-dissection aneurysms of the aortic arch is challenging, decision-making and interventions should continue to be performed in high-volume centers with a dedicated aortic team with an expertise in both open and endovascular repairs.