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Objective: To propose an endovascular-oriented classification of celiac trunk aneurysms (CTa) and discuss single center results of this rare pathology., Methods: Data of all patients admitted to our institution for CTa from 2011 to 2021 were prospectively collected. Of them, those who underwent endovascular treatment were retrospectively analyzed. All preoperative CT scans were reviewed and CTa were classified in 4 different configurations based on progressive distal landing zone. We excluded from the classification all cases with median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), patients with coexistent aortic dilation or no endovascular proximal neck. Preoperative demographics, intraoperative data and post-operative complications were recorded. All-cause late mortality and complications were identified through a review of office charts and telephone assessment., Results: During the study period 19 patients were referred to our Institution for CTa. Ten patients underwent endovascular treatment (ET). In 6 cases a watchful waiting strategy was adopted, 2 (10.5 %) patients refused ET and one patient without suitable proximal landing zone (< 10 mm) was not proposed to open surgical repair for surgical contraindication but is followed by strict instrumental and clinical evaluation. Six (60%) patients presented type 2 CTa; all of them underwent ET requiring positioning of covered stent-graft and SA embolization. Three (30%) patients presented type 3 CTa; all of them underwent ET with covered stent-graft deployment over the GDA with preliminary embolization. One (10%) patient presented type 4 CTa that was treated by means of covered stent-graft deployment along the right hepatic artery with left hepatic artery embolization. Overall, no major complications and perioperative mortality was observed., Conclusion: Celiac trunk aneurysms are rare, and no classifications have still been presented. Stent-graft exclusion provides excellent short-term outcome with no significant morbidity and mortality rate when technically feasible., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report the outcomes of open or hybrid repair of failed thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm endovascular treatment with Multilayer Flow Modulator (MFM) stents., Methods: All patients who underwent open or hybrid repair of a failed MFM aortic treatment were retrospectively analysed. Perioperative and postoperative data, as well as midterm survival, were assessed., Results: Between 2013 and 2020, 39 patients received an open or hybrid conversion after endovascular treatment. Five of them [13%; 4 males; median age 68 years (interquartile range 66-76)] were previously treated with aortic MFM stents (Cardiatis, Isnes, Belgium). Among these, the median interval between index repair and conversion was 84 months (interquartile range 75-84). The median aneurysm diameter was 9.6 cm (interquartile range 8-10). Renovisceral vessels steno-occlusion was highly prevalent: 2 renal arteries were occluded; 3 coeliac trunks, 2 renal arteries and 1 superior mesenteric artery had a >70% ostial stenosis. Open standard thoraco-abdominal aneurysm conversion was performed in 3 fit patients, while a hybrid approach with visceral debranching and tube endografting was performed in 2 high-risk patients. Two patients (2 open repairs) died intraoperatively, and 1 (hybrid repair) postoperatively. The 2 successfully treated patients are alive at 4- and 34-month follow-up, respectively, with patent visceral branches., Conclusions: Open or hybrid thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment after failed endovascular aortic repair with MFM stents might be the only surgical option to address sac enlargements and ruptures or branch-related failures. However, both procedures had a poor prognosis due to both the impaired preoperative patient's status and the surgical complexity in the presented series., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: TEVAR (thoracic endovascular aortic repair) + PETTICOAT (Provisional ExTension to Induce COmplete ATtachment) technique has been selectively employed since 2005 at our institution during endovascular treatment of type B aortic dissection (TBD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term (>5 years) clinical results and the evolution of aortic volume., Materials and Methods: All the patients receiving an endovascular treatment for TBD with the PETTICOAT technique were collected in a prospectively maintained database and follow-up computed tomography scan were retrospectively analyzed. Study endpoints included short- and long-term clinical success (absence of need for reintervention) and any major adverse event. The volumes of thoracic and abdominal aorta at long-term follow-up were also analyzed., Results: Twenty-eight patients received a TEVAR + PETTICOAT and were followed up (median follow-up 85 months). Primary 30-day clinical success rate was 82% with an adverse event rate of 31%; 4 type I endoleak and 1 retrograde dissection were recorded. Secondary mid-term clinical success was 96% while the long-term clinical success rate was 79%. Six cases (21%) received either an open repair or an endovascular repair for a significant distal aortic enlargement at follow-up. With regards to volumetric analysis, an increase of overall (thoracic and abdominal) aortic volume was observed in 8 cases mainly related to an increase (mean: +31%) of the abdominal volume that was observed in 11 cases., Conclusions: PETTICOAT technique does not protect from long-term significant aneurysmal degeneration that may require aortic open or endovascular reinterventions. Aortic growth occurs mainly in the bare-stented aorta and thus, life-long surveillance is advisable in these patients.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of percutaneous femoral access with large-bore sheaths (>21F outer diameter) mainly employed for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic endovascular treatment and to stratify the outcomes on the basis of the introducer size., Methods: Between December 2015 and December 2018, all consecutive patients who received endovascular repair through a percutaneous approach with a suture-mediated vascular closure device (VCD) and the preclose technique were included in a retrospective single-center study called Totally Percutaneous Approach to Endovascular Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms (PEVAR-PRO). The morphologic characteristics of the access vessels and patients' demographics were recorded, and 30-day closure success was defined as the primary end point. Analysis of the closure success comparing large-bore sheaths vs small-bore sheaths (≤21F outer diameter) was performed after 1:1 propensity score matching of preoperative confounding variables., Results: The closure success rate of the entire study cohort was 94% (622 femoral accesses in 360 patients; median age, 74 years; 84% male). Univariate analysis identified eight different factors associated with failure, but only two remained significant on multivariate analysis: diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-6.2; P = .011) and common femoral artery stenosis >50% (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.3-13.7; P = .019). After propensity score matching (1:1, 172 femoral accesses per group), closure success rate was not significantly different between large-bore and small-bore sheaths (90.7% vs 93.0%; P = .43). Multivariate analysis of the large-sheath group identified two factors associated with failure: small (<9 mm) femoral arteries (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 1.5-31.6; P = .13) and access vessel calcifications involving more than one-third of the circumference (OR, 7.9; 95% CI, 2.1-29.4; P = .002). Neither previous femoral cutdown (44 accesses [23%]) nor percutaneous closure with VCDs (38 accesses [20%]) affected the closure success rate in the large-sheath group. Closure failure did not significantly increase the need for postoperative blood transfusions or hospital length of stay., Conclusions: Off-label use of VCDs and the preclose technique for percutaneous approach with large-bore sheaths needed for complex aortic endovascular procedures is safe and feasible. Closure success rate is not significantly different from that obtained with on-label application of VCDs with smaller sheaths., (Copyright © 2020 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of endovascular occlusion of the prevertebral subclavian artery (SA) using an Amplatzer vascular plug after prophylactic revascularization with carotid-subclavian bypass (CSB) in the setting of endovascular thoracic stent grafting or open arch repair with frozen elephant trunk., Methods: All patients who underwent SA plug embolization (SAPE) and CSB from September 2009 to December 2018 were enrolled in a registered study (SAPE study: clinicaltrials.govNCT03620006). The primary end point was technical success, defined as complete occlusion of the origin of the SA, and how it was influenced by SA anatomy. The secondary end points were access vessel complications, cerebrovascular events, and CSB patency., Results: The 101 SAPE procedures were performed using a type I (35 patients) or a type II (66 patients) Amplatzer vascular plug. A percutaneous ipsilateral upper extremity access was used in 66% of patients and a radial artery access was used in 50% of procedures. The 30-day primary technical success rate was 95% (five patients received an additional plug during the index); five type IC endoleaks were observed and successfully treated either with surgical ligation (in open arch repair procedures) or secondary embolization procedure (thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair group). Three access vessel complications (3%) were recorded with percutaneous brachial approach. At a median follow-up time of 11 months (range, 2-19 months), no new-onset type IC endoleak was observed, and the CSB patency rate was 97%., Conclusions: SAPE after CSB is feasible and safe, and has low incidence of type IC endoleaks. Further device developments are needed to better adapt to the subclavian anatomy., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe a possible application of thoracic false lumen occlusion techniques with a Candy-Plug occluder to induce false lumen thrombosis for preconditioning the spinal cord during staged fenestrated repair of postdissecting thoracoabdominal aneurysms. Technique: A Candy-Plug occluder is deployed within the thoracic false lumen after proximal entry tear coverage with a standard thoracic stent-graft during staged repair of postdissecting thoracoabdominal aneurysms. The blockade of thoracic false lumen retrograde reperfusion from distal entry tears induces a controlled thrombosis of both the thoracic false lumen and intercostal arteries. Then, when the fenestrated device is delivered 4 to 6 weeks later, the procedure is completed with standard techniques according to the staging protocols of individual centers. Conclusion: A new possible application of a Candy-Plug false lumen occlusion technique might be an intermediate procedure aimed at preconditioning the spinal cord by occluding the thoracic false lumen during complex staged fenestrated thoracoabdominal repairs.