Prospective Study of the Iliac Branch Device E-liac in Patients with Common Iliac Artery Aneurysms: 12 Month Results.

OBJECTIVES: At 12 months follow up of the PLIANT study, clinical success and efficacy of the E-liac Stent Graft System (JOTEC GmbH, Hechingen, Germany) were evaluated. Clinical success was defined as aneurysm exclusion (no type I, III, IV endoleak) with primary patency of the internal iliac artery (IIA) and external iliac artery (EIA) on the E-liac implantation side. METHODS: In this prospective multicentre European observational study, clinical and morphological data of 45 patients (93% male, mean age 72 y) were prospectively collected in 11 European centres between July 2014 and June 2016. Forty patients underwent an aorto-iliac (three patients bilaterally) treatment and five an isolated iliac treatment. RESULTS: At 12 months follow up, data were available for 42 patients. Overall clinical success at 12 months was 90%, with a survival rate of 100%. Four patients (10%) did not achieve clinical success, one with an internal iliac artery (IIA) occlusion on the E-liac implantation side, one with an infrarenal type Ia endoleak, and two with type Ib endoleaks in IIA. At 12 months the primary patency rate in the internal iliac artery on the iliac side branch implantation side was 98%. Two patients (5%) received E-liac related re-interventions: one caused by an edge stenosis at the distal end of the graft limb in the external iliac artery (EIA) and one caused by thrombo-embolism in the external iliac artery. Thus, for the EIA, primary and secondary patency rates were 98% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The low device related re-intervention rate of 5%, the high survival rate of 100%, and the high primary patency rates of 98% for the IIA and EIA at 12 month follow up demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the E-liac Stent Graft System. Long term 36 month results are awaited to confirm the efficacy and durability.

Prospective study of the E-liac Stent Graft System in patients with common iliac artery aneurysms: 30-Day results.

OBJECTIVES: To study the safety and feasibility of the E-liac Stent Graft System® in patients with aorto/iliac aneurysms. METHODS: A prospective multicentric European registry of patients receiving the E-liac Stent Graft System® was conducted. Endpoints of the study included the technical success as well as periprocedural events and 30-day endoleaks, reinterventions, internal and external iliac artery patency and mortality. RESULTS: Between July 2014 and June 2016, a total of 45 patients (93% men, mean age 72 years, range 53-90 years) were enrolled at 11 sites in four European countries. Five patients received an isolated iliac treatment. Thirty-seven patients were treated with a combination of an abdominal stent graft and a unilateral E-liac and three in combination with bilateral E-liac. All E-liac Stent Grafts (48) were implanted in the intended position and the internal iliac arteries were successfully bridged. Two patients did not receive clinical success, due to endoleak type Ia of the aortic stent graft. At 30-day follow-up, clinical success rate was 96%. Three successful endovascular reinterventions were performed within the 30-day follow-up: one due to a type Ia endoleak in the common iliac artery, one due to type Ia endoleak of the aortic stent graft, and one due to bilateral lower limb claudication provoked by stent graft limb stenosis. At 30-day, a 100% survival rate and complete absence of pelvic or buttock ischemia/claudication were reported. Primary patency at 30 days was 100% for the internal iliac artery and 98% for the external iliac artery with an assisted patency of 100% in the latter. CONCLUSIONS: The high clinical success rate, low rates of device-related reinterventions (2%), and excellent patency rate demonstrate the safety and feasibility of the E-liac Stent Graft System. Long-term results are awaited to state efficacy and durability. Clinical Trials.gov. Identifier no. NCT02209194.

Common celiomesenteric-renal trunk - First description of a rare combined variation of abdominal visceral arteries.

Different variations and anomalies are known of the abdominal visceral branches of the aorta, whereas concomitant variations including both renal and inferior phrenic arteries are exceedingly rare. We report the case of a 28-year-old female, presenting with stomachache, nausea and emesis. Computer tomography revealed a large common trunk consisting of the celiac trunk, both inferior phrenic and renal arteries and the superior mesenteric artery. Due to a hypoplastic aorta a wide Arc of Riolan was present. This is the first description of a unique variation of a common celiomesenteric-renal trunk, emphasizing the need for further classification of the visceral vascularity.

Fatal Recurrent Staphylococcus aureus Infection in a Patient With an Aortic Endostent Under Alirocumab.

PURPOSE: Aortic stent-graft infection (SGI) entails a high mortality. Alirocumab is a monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), approved for treatment of therapy-refractory hypercholesterolemia. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 might play a role in infections. CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old male suffered from fatigue, fever, and back pain. Twelve months previously, a 4-fold-fenestrated aortic endoprosthesis was implanted because of an aortic aneurysm. Four months later, alirocumab 150 mg was initiated. Staphylococcus aureus grew in several blood cultures, and he received cefazolin and fosfomycin. Fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography indicated an infected endoprosthesis. Puncture of the periprosthetic space under antibiotic therapy revealed different strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis. The therapy was changed to dalbavancin. The patient died suddenly 11 days later after complaining about back pain for several days. No autopsy was carried out. CONCLUSIONS: The most probable cause of the patient's recurrent bacteremia with S aureus was an infection of the aortic prosthesis. Although this report is very speculative, it can be concluded that data about infections in patients under PCSK9 inhibitors should be collected systematically and more research is needed about the biological consequences of decreasing cholesterol to extreme low levels.

Hybrid treatment in a patient with acute aortic syndrome and an aberrant right subclavian artery.

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our department with recent onset of chest pain. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed an acute aortic syndrome manifested by a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer and contained rupture at the level of origin of an aberrant right subclavian artery. A combined vascular and endovascular approach was selected. The entire arch was rerouted, a reversed bifurcated Dacron prosthesis was placed, and a bypass was created between the right common carotid artery and the lusorian artery, followed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The clinical course was uneventful. The CT scan obtained after the procedure revealed regular supra-aortic perfusion and complete exclusion of the complex lesion.

Translumbar treatment of type II endoleaks after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The modality of treatment and the appropriate time point to treat type II endoleaks after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR) remain controversial issues. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of translumbar embolization of type II endoleaks after endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm repair. Eighty-four consecutive patients after EVAR were analyzed for the onset of type II endoleaks. Of these, five patients had experienced translumbar embolization after ineffective intraartrial approach to exclude the endoleak. A combination of several liquid embolic agents was used as sealant. Post-procedural contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was used to document the outcome of the embolization. Translumbar embolization was successful in four patients. Complete sealing of the nidus was seen on CEUS 24 h after the procedure. In one patient with a duplication of the inferior vena cava, the procedure was aborted because an additional type Ib endoleak was found. The procedure was well tolerated by all patients. The translumbar approach to treat growing aneurysm sacs in patients with persistent type II endoleaks is safe and well tolerated. The immediate post-interventional outcome as documented on CEUS is promising. Long-term follow-ups are yet to be performed.

Combined surgical and endovascular repair of complex aortic pathologies with a new hybrid prosthesis.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the application of a new combined surgical and endovascular technique for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. The technique is used to treat extensive aortic disease by a single-stage procedure. Surgical outcomes and follow-up data are summarized and analyzed. METHODS: Between August 2005 and December 2006, 7 patients (2 women), aged 62 +/- 11 years, with aortic pathologies (5 dissections, 2 aneurysms) underwent replacement of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch and simultaneous stent graft implantation into the descending aorta. The stent graft used was the E-vita open endoluminal stent graft (Jotec Inc, Hechingen, Germany), which was implanted using the technique of circulatory arrest and moderate hypothermia with selective antegrade cerebral perfusion. The stent graft was deployed under visual guidance through the open aortic arch into the true lumen. RESULTS: Intraoperative antegrade stenting of the descending aorta combined with the distal ascending aorta and aortic arch repair was performed successfully in all patients. The survival rate was 100%. One patient had a postoperative neurologic deficit but recovered completely. Four patients had fully thrombosed perigraft spaces within 11 days, whereas 1 patient showed complete obliteration of the false lumen at the 3-month control. CONCLUSIONS: The combined surgical and endovascular technique described in this report proved feasible for the treatment of extended aortic lesions. It serves as an additional option for aortic repair in a single-stage method and is associated with no elevated risk for the patient.