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Objective: This study aimed to analyze early and midterm results of custom-made proximal scallop and fenestrated stent grafts for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with a proximal landing zone (PLZ) in the aortic arch., Methods: All consecutive patients treated with the custom made proximal scalloped and fenestrated Relay stent grafts (Terumo Aortic Bolton Medical Inc.) in 10 Italian centers between January 2014 and December 2022 were included. The primary end points were technical success, incidence of intraoperative major adverse events, deployment accuracy, and rate of early neurological complications, endoleaks (ELs) and retrograde aortic dissection., Results: During the study period, 49 patients received TEVAR with Relay custom-made endograft in Italy were enrolled. The median patient age was 70.1 years (interquartile range, 23-86 years) and 65.3% were male. The indication for treatment was atherosclerotic aneurysms in 59.2% of cases and penetrating aortic ulcer in 22.4%. The endograft configuration was proximal fenestration in 55.1% and scallop in 44.9%. The proximal landing zone was zone 0 in 25 cases (51%), zone 1 in 14 cases (28.6%), and zone 2 in 10 cases (20.4%). The supra-aortic debranching procedures were 38 (77.5%). Technical success was 97.9% (48/49) owing to one case (2.0%) of inaccurate deployment. Intraoperatively, one (2.0%) type Ia and one (2.0%) type III EL were detected. There were no cases of in-hospital mortality, major adverse events, or retrograde dissection. Three minor strokes (6.1%) (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≤4) were observed. At a mean follow-up time of 36.3 ± 21.3 months the rate of types I to III ELs and reintervention was 4.1%, respectively. Four patients (8.2%) died during the follow-up period, one (2.1%) from abdominal aortic rupture and three (6.1%) from nonaortic causes., Conclusions: Our early and midterm outcomes suggest that scalloped and fenestrated TEVAR may provide an acceptable alternative treatment option for aortic arch pathologies. Large-scale studies are needed to assess the long-term durability of this technique., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study investigated the long-term outcomes of patients treated with fenestrated and branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F-BEVAR) or open surgical repair (OSR) for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (c-AAAs). Complex abdominal aortic aneurysms are defined as aneurysms that involve the renal or mesenteric arteries and extend up to the level of the celiac axis or diaphragmatic hiatus but do not extend into the thoracic aorta. This study compares with a propensity-score matching the outcome of these procedures from 2 high-volume aortic centers., Materials and Methods: All patients with c-AAAs undergoing repair at 2 centers between January 2010 and June 2016 were included. The long-term imaging follow-up consisted in a yearly computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the F-BEVAR group. Yearly abdominal ultrasound examination and 5-year CTA were performed in the OSR group. The primary endpoints were long-term mortality, aneurysm-related mortality, and chronic renal decline (CRD), defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction to <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 or >20%/de novo dependence on permanent dialysis in patients with normal or abnormal preoperative renal function, respectively. Secondary endpoints included aortic-related reinterventions, target vessel occlusion, proximal aorta degeneration, access-related complications, graft infection, and the composite endpoint of clinical failure during follow-up., Results: After 1:1 propensity matching, 102 consecutive patients who underwent F-BEVAR and OSR, respectively, were included. The median follow-up was 67 months. There was no significant difference in long-term overall mortality (40.2% vs 36.3%; p=0.40) and aneurysm-related mortality (6.8% vs 5.8%; p=0.30), in the F-BEVAR and OSR groups, respectively. During follow-up, late renal function decline occurred in 27 (27.8%) versus 46 patients (47.4%) in the F-BEVAR and OSR groups, respectively (p<0.01). During follow-up, 23 reinterventions (23.5%) were performed in the F-BEVAR group, and 5 (5.1%) in the OSR group (p<0.01)., Conclusions: No differences in overall and aneurysm-related mortality were observed. Chronic renal decline was significantly higher after OSR, while the reintervention rate was higher in the F-BEVAR group. These long-term results reflect the outcomes of a complex procedure performed by a single experienced operator in 2 high-volume centers, and followed with a strict surveillance imaging follow-up., Clinical Impact: Nowadays, F-BEVAR and OSR are considered two established techniques for the treatment of c-AAA. However, long-term comparative outcomes are not well studied, and concerns may rise in terms of durability of the repair, risk of reinterventions and late chronic renal decline. The present study showed, with a median follow-up > 5 years, no differences in overall and aneurysm-related mortality. Chronic renal decline was significantly higher after OSR, while the reintervention rate was higher in the endovascular group. To achieve the best possible long-term outcomes, both techniques should be performed in high volume aortic centres, tailored to the patient, and with an adequate surveillance imaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Giovanni Tinelli: consultant for Medtronic and Terumo Aortic; Simona Sica: none; Jonathan Sobocinski: proctor for Cook Medical; Zoé Ribreau: none; Chiara de Waure: none; Marco Ferraresi: none; Francesco Snider: none; Yamume Tshomba: consultant for Medtronic and Terumo Aortic; Stéphan Haulon: consultant for GE Healthcare, Bentley and Cook Medical.

Background: The use of biological grafts provides acceptable mid- and long-term results in native or prosthetic vascular infections. Several reports describe the successful use of bovine pericardium in case of vascular infections, mainly as a large patch to be sutured as a tubular graft. Recently, a novel prefabricated bovine pericardium graft (Biointegral Surgical No-React® Inc, Mississauga, ON, Canada) has been introduced in clinical practice with promising results. In this study, we report our preliminary experience utilizing Biointegral Surgical graft in case of native and or prosthetic aorto-iliac and infrainguinal infection., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 20 patients with native or prosthetic aorto-iliac and infrainguinal infection who underwent in situ reconstruction (ISR) with a Biointegral Surgical No-React bovine pericardium prosthesis between October 2020 and February 2023 at the Vascular Surgery Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli - IRCCS in Rome, Italy. All patients followed a standardized protocol including postoperative anticoagulation and long-term intravenous antibiotics., Results: The indication for surgery was: mycotic aortic aneurysm in 4 patients (20%), graft infection after abdominal aortic repair in 11 patients (55%), peripheral graft infection in 5 patients (25%). Complete excision of the infected aorta or prosthetic graft, surgical debridement and ISR were performed in all patients. Hospital mortality rate was 5% (n = 1) and graft-related mortality of 0%. During follow-up (median 13 months, range 6-34 months), reinfection was 5.2% and primary graft patency 94.7%., Conclusions: The use of prefabricated bovine pericardial grafts represents a promising option for the treatment of native and prosthetic aorto-iliac and infrainguinal infections. The application of this biological graft with a standardized postoperative protocol has been associated with a satisfactory patency and reinfection rate without increased bleeding complications., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: The treatment of a chronic type B aortic dissection can be challenging and need a precise and multidisciplinary planning., Materials and Results: A 62-year-old man presented to our hospital with acute aortic thrombosis on chronic thoracoabdominal dissection with bowel and kidney ischemia. He was submitted to urgent open surgical treatment with replacement of thoracoabdominal aorta and reimplantation of celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery and right renal artery. During the intervention the visceral perfusion was provided with a modified Gott shunt; while the lower limb perfusion was provided by an existing right axillo-femoral and femoro-femoral bypass. The patient had a favorable course and did not report any complications., Conclusion: The ideal management strategy of complex post-dissection conditions has to be tailored on the single patient's features to provide the maximal efficacy and safety. If the endovascular treatment is not viable, open surgery represents a valid option., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: Aberrant subclavian artery (ASA) and Kommerell's diverticulum (KD) are rare vascular anomalies that may be associated with lifestyle-limiting and life-threatening complications. The aim of this study is to report contemporary outcomes after invasive treatment of ASA/KD using a large international dataset., Methods: Patients who underwent treatment for ASA/KD (2000-2020) were identified through the Vascular Low Frequency Disease Consortium, a multi-institutional collaboration to investigate uncommon vascular disorders. We report the early and mid-term clinical outcomes including stroke and mortality, technical success, and other operative outcomes including reintervention rates, patency, and endoleak., Results: Overall, 285 patients were identified during the study period. The mean patient age was 57 years; 47% were female and 68% presented with symptoms. A right-sided arch was present in 23%. The mean KD diameter was 47.4 mm (range, 13.0-108.0 mm). The most common indication for treatment was symptoms (59%), followed by aneurysm size (38%). The most common symptom reported was dysphagia (44%). A ruptured KD was treated in 4.2% of cases, with a mean diameter of 43.9 mm (range, 18.0-100.0 mm). An open procedure was performed in 101 cases (36%); the most common approach was ASA ligation with subclavian transposition. An endovascular or hybrid approach was performed in 184 patients (64%); the most common approach was thoracic endograft and carotid-subclavian bypass. A staged operative strategy was employed more often than single setting repair (55% vs 45%). Compared with endovascular or hybrid approach, those in the open procedure group were more likely to be younger (49 years vs 61 years; P < .0001), female (64% vs 36%; P < .0001), and symptomatic (85% vs 59%; P < .0001). Complete or partial symptomatic relief at 1 year after intervention was 82.6%. There was no association between modality of treatment and symptom relief (open 87.2% vs endovascular or hybrid approach 78.9%; P = .13). After the intervention, 11 subclavian occlusions (4.5%) occurred; 3 were successfully thrombectomized resulting in a primary and secondary patency of 95% and 96%, respectively, at a median follow-up of 39 months. Among the 33 reinterventions (12%), the majority were performed for endoleak (36%), and more reinterventions occurred in the endovascular or hybrid approach than open procedure group (15% vs 6%; P = .02). The overall survival rate was 87.3% at a median follow-up of 41 months. The 30-day stroke and death rates were 4.2% and 4.9%, respectively. Urgent or emergent presentation was independently associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 19.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3-116.6), overall mortality (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.2-11.2) and intraoperative complications (OR, 8.3; 95% CI, 2.8-25.1). Females had a higher risk of reintervention (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-6.5). At an aneurysm size of 44.4 mm, receiver operator characteristic curve analysis suggested that 60% of patients would have symptoms., Conclusions: Treatment of ASA/KD can be performed safely with low rates of mortality, stroke and reintervention and high rates of symptomatic relief, regardless of the repair strategy. Symptomatic and urgent operations were associated with worse outcomes in general, and female gender was associated with a higher likelihood of reintervention. Given the worse overall outcomes when symptomatic and the inherent risk of rupture, consideration of repair at 40 mm is reasonable in most patients. ASA/KD can be repaired in asymptomatic patients with excellent outcomes and young healthy patients may be considered better candidates for open approaches versus endovascular or hybrid modalities, given the lower likelihood of reintervention and lower early mortality rate., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We aim to describe real-world outcomes from multicenter data about the efficacy of adjunct Heli-FX EndoAnchor usage in preventing or repairing failures during infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), so-called EndoSutured-aneurysm-repair (ESAR)., Methods: The current study has been assigned an identifier (NCT04100499) at the US National Library of Medicine (https://ClinicalTrials.gov). It is an observational retrospective study of prospectively collected data from seven vascular surgery departments between June 2010 and December 2019. Patients included in the ANCHOR registry were excluded from this analysis. The decision for the use of EndoAnchors was made by the treating surgeon or multidisciplinary aortic committee according to each center's practice. Follow-up imaging was scheduled according to each center's protocol, which necessarily included either abdominal ultrasound or radiography or computed tomographic scan imaging. The main outcomes analyzed were technical success, freedom from type Ia endoleaks (IaEL), all-cause and aneurysm-related mortality, and sac variation and trends evaluated for those with at least six months imaging follow-up., Results: Two hundred and seventy-five patients underwent ESAR in participating centers during the study period. After exclusions, 221 patients (184 males, 37 females, mean age 75 ± 8.3 years) were finally included for analysis. Median follow-up for the cohort was 27 (interquartile range 12-48) months. A median 6 (interquartile range 3) EndoAnchors were deployed at ESAR, 175 (79%) procedures were primary and 46 (21%) revision cases, 40 associated with type IaEL. Technical success at operation (initial), 30-day, and overall success were 89, 95.5, and 96.8%, respectively; the 30-day success was higher due to those with subsequent spontaneous proximal endoleak seal. At two years, freedom from type IaEL was 94% for the whole series; 96% and 86% for the primary and revision groups, respectively; whereas freedom from all-cause mortality, aneurysm-related mortality, and reintervention was 89%, 98%, and 87%, respectively. Sac evolution pre-ESAR was 66 ± 15.1 vs. post ESAR 61 ± 17.5 (p < 0.001) and for 180 patients with at least six-month follow-up, 92.2% of them being in a stable (51%) or regression (41%) situation., Conclusions: This real-world registry demonstrates that adjunct EndoAnchor usage at EVAR achieves high rates of freedom from type IaEL at mid-term including in a high number of patients with hostile neck anatomy, with positive trends in sac-size evolution. Further data with longer follow-up may help to establish EndoAnchor usage as a routine adjunct to EVAR, especially in hostile necks.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate early results of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using the Valiant Navion™ stent graft in a "real-world" scenario., Methods: All patients who underwent TEVAR with the Valiant Navion™ endograft between November 2018 and November 2019 were included in this retrospective multicenter study (six European centers). The primary endpoints were technical success, incidence of major adverse events (MAEs), access failure, deployment failure, deployment accuracy, and rate of intraoperative endoleaks (ELs)., Results: One hundred-sixteen patients with varying thoracic aortic diseases were included. Eighteen patients (15.5%) were treated for an off-label condition. The technical success rate was 100%, without any access or deployment failures. The proximal and distal deployment accuracy rates were 99.1% and 97.4%, respectively. There were no intraoperative MAEs, including death. Two (1.7%) type Ib ELs were detected at the first postoperative CTA, all of which were in off-label procedures and related to the short length of the sealing neck. No type III ELs were detected. The median hospitalization time was 8 days (IQR 4-12), including a median intensive care unit stay of 1 day (IQR 1-2). The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.3%. At a median follow-up time of 98 days (IQR 39-187), there were no aortic-related mortalities or new onset of endoleaks., Conclusion: Our initial experience with the Valiant Navion™ endograft in a wide variety of aortic diseases showed safe early outcomes, especially for on-label procedures., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate early and late results of hybrid repair techniques for Kommerell's diverticulum (KD)., Methods: All patients who underwent hybrid repair (thoracic endovascular aortic repair + supra-aortic debranching) for KD between 2009 and 2018 were included in this retrospective multicenter study (three Italian centers). A proximal landing zone (PLZ) of at least 2 cm of healthy aorta was considered adequate for the deployment of a standard thoracic stent graft. The early end points were technical success, in-hospital mortality, and cerebrovascular events. Late outcomes included survival, reintervention, and patency of supra-aortic debranching. We used an embryogenetic anomaly based aortic arch classification for PLZ evaluation to identify the most appropriate hybrid adjunct., Results: Sixteen patients with KD were included. According to the aforementioned classification, stent graft deployment was required in six patients (37.5%) in PLZ 0, nine patients (56.3%) in PLZ 1, and one patient (6.3%) in PLZ 2. Technical success was achieved in all patients. One patient (6.3%) died in the hospital because of posterior cerebral hemorrhage after total debranching (PLZ 0). No further cerebrovascular events were observed. One patient (6.3%) had an asymptomatic left subclavian artery-right left subclavian artery bypass occlusion and required early reintervention. The 30-day secondary patency of supra-aortic debranching was 100%. Two type II endoleaks (12.5%) were detected at 1 month through computed tomography angiography. Further transient complications were found in three cases: hemidiaphragm paralysis in one patient and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in two patients. At a mean follow-up of 48 months, four patients had died because of nonaortic reasons, and one RCCA-right subclavian artery bypass had lost its patency. None of the patients reported any growth of KD after hybrid repair. Ten patients (62.5%) showed aneurysmal sac shrinkage of at least 5 mm., Conclusions: Hybrid repair is confirmed to be a safe and effective approach for KD. Operative risk is associated primarily with the invasiveness of the hybrid adjunct., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Although the long-term results of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) with low-profile devices in patients with hostile iliac anatomies have been published, there are no reported results specifically for narrow aortic bifurcations (NAB). This study investigated the outcomes of EVAR with the INCRAFT device in NAB (<16 mm)., Methods: This multicenter retrospective study involved five vascular surgery centers. From November 2014 until June 2018, 127 patients were treated with the INCRAFT device. The patient population was divided into two groups based on aortic bifurcation diameter. They were designated as the (1) standard aortic bifurcation (SAB) group (>16 mm) and the (2) the NAB group (<16 mm). Primary end points were the differences between the two groups in terms of technical success, survival at 30 days, iliac limb patency, and reinterventions., Results: The SAB group included 96 patients and the NAB group included 31 patients. The mean aortic bifurcation diameter was 25.5 mm in the SAB group and 13.2 mm in the NAB group. It is noteworthy that, in the NAB group, 21.8% of patients had aortic bifurcations with focal calcific lesions (less than one-third of the circumferential length of the bifurcation) and 48.3% showed extensive calcifications (two-thirds of the circumferential length of the bifurcation), for 29.9% of the patients in the NAB group the aortic bifurcation had a circumferential highly calcific lesion (complete occlusion of the circumferential length of the bifurcation). Technical success was 98.9% in the SAB group and 96.7% in the NAB group (P = .1). The need for iliac component stenting was not significantly different between the groups (SAB 2.0% vs NAB 3.2%; P = .07). The 1-year survival was 97.9% and 96.7% in the SAB and NAB groups, respectively, with no aneurysm-related mortality. The mean follow-up was 18.4 months and 15.3 months in the SAB and NAB groups, respectively. The iliac primary patency was 98.9 % in the SAB group and 96.8% in the NAB group (P = .088), and the primary assisted patency was 100% in both groups., Conclusions: EVAR with INCRAFT in NABs showed acceptable results. In this multicenter study, the results were comparable in terms of technical success and iliac patency rate between patients with SABs and NABs., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report an unusual case of a 53-year-old male patient, previously undergone an extra-anatomic right-to-left iliofemoral bypass graft, who has developed gross hematuria after 4 months. The cystoscopic examination revealed a wall injury due to the presence of the graft crossing the bladder. Iatrogenic bladder injuries during vascular surgery are extremely rare. In the literature, only 11 cases of transvesical graft are reported. The complication has been resolved with the removal of the misplaced graft and the reconstruction of the bypass with silver-coated Dacron prosthesis. Despite the rarity of this complication, postoperative ultrasound of the bladder is recommended to timely detect any injury and adopt a correct surgical strategy., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of blood count changes and coagulation parameters alterations after thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR)., Methods: Fifty patients (41 males, age 72±7 years) submitted between 2007 and 2009 to elective TEVAR for non-dissecting aortic lesions, without major associated surgical procedures, were analyzed. Blood count and coagulation parameters were recorded pre-operatively and daily up to postoperative day 5. The volume of new thrombus formed after TEVAR (TV) was calculated comparing pre- and post-operative computed tomography scans with a semi-automatic method by two independent examiners. Pre- intra-, and postoperative variables, including TV, were tested for a possible effect on changes in laboratory values and transfusion requirements using a stepwise multiple regression model analysis., Results: In the multivariable model, TV and associated surgical procedures were significantly associated with maximum platelets decrease (P=0.021, and P=0.029, respectively), while only TV remained a significant predictor for maximum prothrombin time increase (P=0.003). Maximum aneurysm diameter (P=0.041), procedural time (P=0.027), and TV (P=0.047) were also significant predictors of transfusion requirement., Conclusions: TEVAR is associated with consumption of platelets and coagulative factors, which seems to be associated with the amount of perioperative aneurysm thrombosis. The latter may also help to predict perioperative transfusion requirement.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the outcomes of patients with visceral aortic patch (VAP) aneurysms after open repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) treated with three different approaches: open, hybrid, and endovascular repair., Methods: Between 1993 and 2016, there were 29 cases treated for VAP aneurysm after initial TAAA open repair (median time interval, 6.2 years; interquartile range, 4-8 years). Three different treatment modalities were employed: redo open repair (O group) in 14 cases (48.3%), hybrid repair (H group) in 10 cases (34.5%), and endovascular custom-made fenestrated endograft repair (E group) in 5 cases (17.2%). Early (30-day) and midterm results were recorded. The primary end point was a composite major adverse event score: any 30-day death plus any grade ≥2 postoperative complications plus any surgical revision classified according to the Society for Vascular Surgery/American Association for Vascular Surgery reporting standards. Patients were evaluated with computed tomography scans in the outpatient clinic at 3, 6, and 12 months and annually thereafter., Results: The composite major adverse event score significantly differed among groups (O group, 79%; H group, 60%; E group, 0%; P = .009). Two cases (6.9%) of temporary delayed spinal cord ischemia (grade 1) were observed in both the E and H groups. The treatment modality employed was differently associated with blood loss ≥1000 mL (O group, 79%; H group, 40%; E group, 0%; P = .007), number of packed red blood cells transfused ≥3 units (O group, 100%; H group, 90%; E group, 40%; P = .003), intensive care unit stay >1 day (O group, 71%; H group, 70%; E group, 0%; P = .014), and length of hospital stay ≥7 days (O group, 79%; H group, 80%, E group, 20%; P = .034). At short term (6 months), we observed one endovascular reintervention in the E group and one fatal visceral graft thrombosis in the H group. At a median follow-up of 30 months (interquartile range, 15-75 months), we observed another aneurysm-related death in the H group due to graft infection and four unrelated deaths (one case in the H group and two cases in the O group)., Conclusions: This retrospective study confirms that repair of VAP aneurysms that develop after open repair of TAAAs can be performed with open, hybrid, and endovascular techniques. Current practice favors endovascular repair if possible, but a conclusion that it is superior to any other technique requires validation in a larger sample or a randomized trial., (Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Off-the-shelf devices for branched endovascular aortic repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) have been developed to overcome the manufacturing- and logistics-related delays characteristic of device customization. Nonetheless, the structural requirements of branched endovascular aortic repair, together with the need for additional thoracic components to suit different anatomies, might lead to a large sacrifice of healthy aorta., Methods: We enrolled 18 consecutive TAAA patients treated between 2010 and 2016 in two centers employing the off-the-shelf t-Branch (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind) device (TB group). We matched these 18 patients one-to-one with another 18 patients of the 464 consecutive TAAAs treated in the same period by means of open repair (O group) in one of the two centers. The patients were matched on the basis of t-Branch feasibility, distance from the left subclavian artery to the beginning of the aneurysm, and diameter of proximal landing zone evaluated at preoperative computed tomography angiography. We compared the overall length of sacrificed healthy native aorta (the sealing zone in the TB group) in the two groups according to postoperative computed tomography angiography, and we investigated the number of intercostal arteries lost from that healthy aortic segment. We calculated also the real unnecessary sacrificed aorta by subtracting the compulsory minimum neck coverage requested to obtain the proximal sealing (25 mm)., Results: We matched one-to-one six extent II, seven extent III, and five extent IV TAAAs. Overall, the length of sacrificed healthy aorta was longer (P < .001) in the TB group (median length: TB group, 49 mm [interquartile range (IQR), 31-60 mm]; O group, 14 mm [IQR, 10-20 mm]), and consequently the number of intercostal arteries lost (median number of pairs lost: TB group, four [IQR, three-four]; O group, two [IQR, one-three]) was higher (P = .004). Stratifying the results according to TAAA extent and after having subtracted from the TB group the length of aorta required for proximal sealing (25 mm), the length of sacrificed healthy aorta was longer (P = .008) only in the extent IV TAAA, 125 mm (IQR, 56-155 mm). The number of intercostal artery pairs sacrificed was longer only in extent III TAAA (P = .043) and extent IV TAAA (P = .024). No significant 30-day clinical outcomes difference was observed between the matched groups., Conclusions: The use of the t-Branch device compared with open repair is associated with a greater sacrifice of healthy aorta in extent IV TAAA and with an increased loss of intercostal arteries arising from healthy aortic proximal neck. The theoretical possible increased risk of spinal cord ischemia secondary to the routine use of this off-the-shelf device should thus be analyzed further., (Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To retrospectively report a large single-center experience of visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs) and pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs) treated with covered stenting (CS) as the first therapeutic option vs transcatheter embolization (TE)., Methods: One hundred patients (mean age 59±14 years; 58 men) underwent 59 elective and 41 emergent endovascular procedures to treat 51 VAAs and 49 VAPAs. Seventy patients had TE and 30 received CS (27 Viabahn and 3 coronary stent grafts). Both TE and CS were performed in 10 cases., Results: Technical success was 96% (97% CS, 96% TE), and 30-day clinical success was 83% (87% CS, 81.4% TE). Four major complications occurred; 30-day mortality was 7%, mainly due to septic shock following pancreatic surgery. The midterm follow-up was 20.8 months in the total population and 32.8 months in the CS group. More than 6 months after CS all aneurysms remained excluded; stent patency was achieved in 88%. Twelve CS patients with >3 years' follow-up had maintained stent patency., Conclusion: In endovascular treatment of visceral aneurysms, covered stenting was feasible in 30%. CS showed a slightly better efficacy than TE and good midterm patency. The Viabahn covered stent seems to be suitable for endovascular repair of tortuous visceral arteries affected by true or false aneurysms.

Purpose: To report an uncommon case of chimney stent-graft migration in the aortic arch., Case Report: A 29-year-old man presented with chronic left arm hyposthenia after late displacement and thrombosis of a left subclavian artery (LSA) chimney graft that migrated retrogradely into the innominate artery 2 years after deployment. The self-expanding LSA chimney was placed during a redo procedure to repair a pseudoaneurysm and type I endoleak after an index emergency thoracic endovascular aortic repair for traumatic aortic rupture 1 year earlier. The patient was successfully treated in an elective procedure via a median sternotomy, with arch aortotomy under circulatory arrest to remove the proximal end of the thrombosed chimney graft from the ostium of the innominate trunk. Three months later, a left carotid-to-subclavian bypass was performed to restore flow to the left arm., Conclusion: Migration of the proximal end of an overly long chimney graft that moved freely in the aortic arch exposed the patient to a high risk of stroke and death. Because of the high-risk situation, open repair under circulatory arrest was elected to remove the proximal end of the chimney graft, with no major complications., (© The Author(s) 2016.)

Background: The aim of this paper was to characterize indications, describe repair methods and report outcomes of patients undergoing late open conversion (LOC) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR)., Methods: From to 1999 to 2015, 65 patients underwent redo procedures after TEVAR at our Institution. Thirty patients underwent LOC. The average time from the index TEVAR to LOC was 57 months (range 2-98 months). Indication to LOC was progression of distal aortic disease in nine patients (30%), stent-graft infection/fistulization in 10 (33.3%), retrograde dissection in 6 (20%), endoleak in 3 (10%), device migration/failure in 2 (6.7%). Left heart bypass and cerebrospinal fluid drainage were used in 22 (73.3%) and 16 (53.3%) cases, respectively. In 17 patients (56.6%) thoracic stent-graft was only partially removed and the proximal anastomosis was performed including the native aorta, the stent-graft and the surgical graft. Biological flap coverage with intercostal muscle flap was used 6 six of infected cases., Results: Overall perioperative mortality rate was 16.6% (5 patients) - 20% in the subgroup of patients with stent-graft infection/fistulization (2 patients) and 33% in the subgroup with retrograde dissection (2 patients). Respiratory failure was the most common complication with seven cases (23.3%). Paraplegia was observed in 1 patient (3.3%). At a mean follow-up of 19 months (range, 5-63) there was 1 aortic-related death for aorto-esophageal fistula., Conclusions: Open conversion after TEVAR was feasible leaving in site the proximal segment of the thoracic stent-graft in most of the cases. The risk of death and morbidity was higher in case of infection, fistula and retrograde dissection.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes of patients treated with endovascular repair (ER) with the use of fenestrated and branched stent grafts or open surgery (OS) for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) in a current series of patients., Methods: All TAAA patients undergoing repair at three centers between January 2007 and December 2014 were included in a prospective database. Patients were stratified according to treatment by ER or OS, and outcomes were compared using propensity score matching (1:1). Covariates included age, sex, aneurysm extent, hypertension, coronary disease, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, and renal function. The primary end points were mortality and paraplegia. Secondary end points included any spinal cord ischemia (SCI), renal and respiratory insufficiency, and a composite of these complications or death at 30 days. All-cause survival and freedom from reintervention were compared in the two groups., Results: Of 341 patients, 84 (25%) underwent ER and 257 underwent OS (75%). After propensity score matching (65 patients per group), no significant differences were observed in rates of 30-day mortality (7.7% in ER and 6.2% in OS; P = 1) and paraplegia (9.2% and 10.8%; P = 1). Any SCI, renal insufficiency, and respiratory insufficiency were 12.3% and 20% (P = .34), 9.2% and 12.3% (P = .78), and 0% and 12.3% (P = .006) in ER and OS, respectively. The incidence of the composite end point was significantly lower in ER patients (18.5% in ER vs 36.0% in OS; P =.03). According to Kaplan-Meier estimates, all-cause survival at 24 months was 82.8% in ER and 84.9% in OS, with rates unchanged at 42 months (P = .9). Rates of freedom from reintervention were 91.0% vs 89.7% at 24 months and 80.0% vs 79.9% at 42 months in ER vs OS, respectively (P = .3)., Conclusions: A propensity score analysis in patients with TAAA undergoing repair suggests an early benefit from ER compared with OS with regard to the composite end point because of reduced 30-day respiratory complications. No significant differences were found in SCI and renal insufficiency at 30 days and in survival and reintervention rates at midterm., (Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Extent IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) open repair is considered relatively safer to repair than other extents of TAAA in terms of both perioperative mortality and spinal cord ischemia. Our purpose is to report our experience and to perform a literature review regarding extent IV TAAA open repair in order to provide an updated benchmark for comparison with any other alternative strategy in this aortic segment., Methods: From 1993 to 2015 we performed 736 open repairs for TAAA (177 extent I, 196 extent II, 141 extent III, 222 extent IV). In extent IV group there were 164 men (73.9%) and the mean age was 67.4±9.3 years (range 32-84). The aneurysm etiology was degenerative in 198 patients (95.6%). Twelve patients (5.4%) underwent emergent operation. Totally abdominal approach was used in 22.0% of the cases. Until 2006 left heart bypass (LHBP) and cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) were almost never performed during extent IV repair. Since 2006 we changed our approach with a more aggressive use of LHBP (22.9%) and CSFD (43.4%) in 83 consecutive extent IV. Renal arteries perfusion was performed with 4 °C Ringer's solution until 2009 and with 4 °C Custodiol solution since September 2009 to date. Literature search was performed on several databases (PubMed, BioMedCentral, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of clinical trials). Research was updated on March 1th 2015., Results: Perioperative mortality in our overall group of TAAA and in the extents IV was 10.7% and 4.9%, respectively (P=0.01); spinal cord ischemia rate 11.4% and 2.7%, respectively (P=0.0001). In the extents IV treated between 2006 and 2015 we observed a further trend of outcomes improvement with a rate of perioperative mortality and spinal cord ischemia of 1.2%, and 2.4%, respectively. Database searches yielded a total of 767 articles. Excluding non-pertinent titles or abstracts, we retrieved in complete form and assessed 27 studies according to the selection criteria. Nine studies were further excluded because of our prespecified exclusion criteria. The final 18 manuscripts included a total of 2098 patients. In this group median mortality rate was 4.8% (interquartile range 3-6) and the mean incidence of spinal cord ischemia was 1.56±1.54%., Conclusion: Perioperative outcomes after extent IV TAAA open repair were significantly better compared to our overall TAAA series. A more aggressive use of CSFD, LHBP and renal perfusion with Custodiol solution allowed a further trend of outcomes improvement in our series of extent IV TAAA open repair. Literature analysis confirmed during extent IV open repair very satisfactory perioperative outcomes with rates of mortality and spinal cord ischemia dropped to under 5% and 2%, respectively.

Infectious thoracic aortitis is a rare disease, especially since the incidence of syphilis and tuberculosis has dropped in western countries. However, the risk to develop an infectious aortitis and subsequent mycotic aneurysm formation is still present, particularly in case of associated endocarditis, sepsis, and in immunosuppressive disorders. Moreover, the number of surgical and endovascular thoracic aortic repairs is continuously increasing, and infective graft complications are observed more frequently. Several etiopathogenetic factors may play a role in thoracic aortic and prosthetic infections, including hematogenous seeding, local bacterial translocation, and iatrogenous contamination. Also, fistulization of the esophagus or the bronchial tree is commonly associated with these diseases, and it represents a critical event requiring a multidisciplinary management. Knowledge on underlying micro-organisms, antibiotic efficacy, risk factors, and prevention strategies has a key role in the management of this spectrum of infectious diseases involving the thoracic aorta. When the diagnosis of a mycotic aneurysm or a prosthetic graft infection is established, treatment is demanding, often including a number of surgical options. Patients are usually severely compromised by sepsis, and in most cases they are considered unfit for surgery for general clinical conditions or local concerns. Thus, results of different therapeutic strategies for infectious diseases of the thoracic aorta are still burdened with very high morbidity and mortality. In this manuscript, we review the literature regarding the main issues related to thoracic infectious aortitis and aortic graft infections, and we report our personal series of patients surgically treated at our institution for these conditions from 1993 to 2014.

The aim of this study is to describe our clinical experience with an extra-large self-expandable stent specifically designed to treat aortic lesions (E-XL, Jotec GmbH, Hechingen, Germany), now commercially available in Europe. The E-XL was used at our Institution in 14 patients (mean age, 56±12 years; 9 males) with the following indications: improve proximal fixation (4 cases), type I endoleak (2 cases), aortic dissection with static malperfusion (1 case) and dynamic malperfusion (7 cases). Early results have been shown to be safe and effective in different clinical settings, including in emergency cases. This peculiar aortic stent could be useful in the armamentarium of the endovascular surgeon.

Aim: Reinterventions following previous ascending aorta and aortic arch repair are uncommon, but technically challenging and often burdened with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this article is to present a single-center experience in the treatment of this complex pathology, using different surgical approaches., Methods: Between 1999 and 2014, 17 patients (14 males, mean age 73±16 years) underwent ascending aorta and aortic arch redo surgery at our Department. A prospectively maintained database including thoracic aortic procedures was reviewed retrospectively to collect data on redo patients., Results: In 13 cases the index procedure was an endovascular or hybrid procedure on the aortic arch performed at our Department, for an in-house reintervention rate of 6.9% (13/188). In 10 cases the cause of reintervention was stent-graft distal migration, treated by means of endovascular relining in all cases, associated with adjunctive supra-aortic trunks debranching via sternotomy in 6 cases. In 5 cases the cause of reintervention was retrograde ascending aortic dissection, in 1 case ascending aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysm following supra-aortic trunk debranching, and in 1 case mediastinitis following implantation of an endovascular plug previously used to treat an ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm. In these last 7 cases, all patients were treated by means of ascending and arch surgical replacement under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP). No 30-day mortality was observed. Major perioperative morbidity included 1 paraplegia, 1 minor stroke, 1 bleeding requiring reintervention, and 3 cases of respiratory failure requiring prolonged intubation (2) or tracheostomy (1)., Conclusion: In our experience, incidence of serious complications requiring reinterventions following ascending aorta or aortic arch repair is not negligible. Redo surgery in ascending aorta and aortic arch is feasible in high-volume and experienced centers, as it often requires hybrid repair via midline sternotomy, or surgical replacement under DHCA and ACP.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and short-term effectiveness of a novel hybrid vascular graft used to address renal revascularization during open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair, performing a sutureless distal anastomosis., Methods: Between 2012 and 2013, 25 patients (16 men; mean age, 66 ± 8 years) underwent revascularization of one (24 patients) or both (one patient) renal arteries with the Gore Hybrid Vascular Graft (GHVG; W. L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) during open TAAA repair. Specific indications included remote location of the ostium of the renal artery, severe atherosclerotic wall degeneration, focal dissection, and stenosis. All surviving patients underwent computed tomography angiography and follow-up visit at 1 month. Preoperative characteristics, intraoperative data, and short-term results were compared with those of 49 concurrent TAAA patients operated on within the same period by standard renal revascularization (SRR) techniques., Results: All GHVG target renal vessels (26 of 26) were successfully revascularized without technical concerns. No significant differences were found between GHVG and SRR groups in preoperative and intraoperative data, except for a relative prevalence of aortic dissection (28% vs 6%; P = .026) and renal artery stenosis (44% vs 12%; P = .003) in the GHVG group and for intraoperative renal bare stenting that was predominantly used in the SRR group (12% vs 28%; P = .036). The 30-day mortality was 4% in both groups. Postoperative acute renal failure (doubling of creatinine level and creatinine level >3.0 mg/dL) occurred in two GHVG patients (8%) and seven SRR patients (14%; P = NS). Perioperative peak decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate was lower in the GHVG group (26 ± 18 mL/min/1.73 m(2) vs 37 ± 22 mL/min/1.73 m(2); P = .034). At 1-month computed tomography angiography, renal artery patency was 92% for the GHVG vessels, 91% for the contralateral to GHVG renal vessels, and 92% for the SRR group arteries. No GHVG-related complications requiring reintervention or cases of new-onset renal failure requiring dialysis were observed at follow-up., Conclusions: Renal revascularization during open TAAA repair by the GHVG with distal sutureless anastomosis is feasible, especially in cases of aortic dissection, remote location of the renal vessel, and severe atherosclerotic disease of the ostium. Short-term results are satisfactory, at least comparable to those of SRR. Larger series and longer follow-up are needed to assess clinical advantages and durability of this new device., (Copyright © 2014 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective was to evaluate a 13-year single-centre experience of arch endovascular aortic repair using the hybrid approach. Between 1999 and 2013, 491 patients were treated with endografts for thoracic aortic pathologies. The aortic arch was involved in 179 (36.5%) patients (128 men; mean age 70.2 ± 10.8 years, range 27-84). A hybrid approach was performed for all Zone 0 and 1 procedures and in nearly half of Zone 2 procedures. Early and mid-term outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. Overall primary technical success (24 h) was achieved in 162 (90.5%) of the 179 cases; 2 deaths and 15 Type 1 endoleaks were observed. Clinical success at 30 days was achieved in 161 (89.9%) of the 179 patients, with a mortality rate of 4.5% (8/179). Short-term clinical success at 6 months was achieved in 169 (94.4%) of the 179 patients; the rates for the different landing zones did not differ significantly. At a mean follow-up of 27.3 ± 15.7 months (range 1-94), the mid-term clinical success was 165 (92.2%) of the 179 patients; the rates among the different proximal zones did not differ significantly. In selected patients, early and mid-term outcomes of arch endovascular aortic repair using the hybrid approach are promising; however, mortality and morbidity are not negligible. Our results may have practical implications for the ongoing evaluation of the hybrid procedure in the aortic arch, as well as for patients fit for traditional surgery., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of this article was to review indications, techniques, and outcomes of a series of open repair for aortic occlusive disease., Methods: Between 1991 and 2013, 1071 patients (917 men, 154 women; mean age 62.6 years) underwent open repair for aortoiliac occlusive disease. According to TASC II classification, 123 patients (11.5%) had type B lesions, 343 (32%) type C, and 605 (56.5%) type D. Among type D lesions, 138 patients had Leriche's Syndrome with complete aortic occlusion. Nine hundred and eight aortobifemoral bypasses, 114 axillo-bifemoral bypasses, 42 aortic endarterectomies with patch aortoplasty, and 7 thoracobifemoral bypasses were performed. Associated endarterectomy of abdominal aorta was required in 191 patients (18.5%), of the femoral arteries in 297 (28.7%)., Results: Perioperatively mortality was 0.6%; perioperative morbidity included cardiac (3.4% of patients), respiratory (2.6%), as well as acute renal insufficiency (2.6%). There were 26 (2.5%) cases of intraoperative distal embolization, 9 (0.8%) of acute graft thrombosis and 9 (0.8%) of bleeding requiring surgical revision within the first 24 hours after surgery. Sixty-one groin complications were reported in 57 patients (5.3%). During a mean follow-up time of 74 months (range 1-264), calculated actuarial occlusion-free survival at 12, 24, and 36 months was 94.8%, 91.8% and 87.2%, respectively. The limb-salvage rate in patients with critical limb ischemia was 87.3%. There were 11 (1%) graft infections., Conclusion: Open repair is a ductile strategy and may be tailored according to the patient clinical condition and disease anatomy. Long-term patency is excellent with low perioperative mortality and reasonable morbidity rates.

Aim: In the last two decades, results of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for the treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) have significantly improved thanks to the evolution of stent-grafts and endovascular delivery systems. However, further development is still needed to reduce the incidence of complications and secondary reinterventions. We present our initial experience with the Treovance abdominal aortic stent-graft (Bolton Medical, Barcelona, Spain), a new-generation trimodular endovascular device, developed to increase flexibility, lower profile, improve deployment and sealing mechanisms., Methods: We treated 8 patients with anatomically suitable non-ruptured AAA., Results: Primary technical success was obtained in all patients, and no 30-day device-related complications nor deaths were reported. One patient experienced graft limb occlusion at 3 months, and underwent surgical conversion. At 1-year follow-up (completed in 6 patients), no device-related complications nor type I or III endoleak were observed., Conclusion: Initial personal experience with the Treovance abdominal stent-graft was satisfactory with regard to technical success and short-term clinical results. This new-generation endovascular device performed well even in angulated or heavily calcified anatomies.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are classified as juxtarenal if their proximal extent is next to the origin of the renal arteries but does not involve them. An AAA is suprarenal if it extends above at least one renal artery and ends below the celiac axis. Juxtarenal AAAs need inter-renal or suprarenal clamping, with the aortic reconstruction usually made at the infrarenal level. Aneurysms requiring suprarenal clamping, often supraceliac, and the reconstruction (direct attachment or bypass) of at least one renal artery, are often defined as suprarenal AAAs. Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) is feasible in most of cases of infrarenal AAAs and has been shown to be as effective as open repair (OR) in reducing aneurysm-related mortality and perioperative mortality with shorter length of stay. However, the feasibility of standard EVAR with an on-label use of commercially available devices is limited in the juxtarenal aorta. In our series, approximately, 20% to 30% of patients with an AAA are considered not eligible for standard EVAR owing to their anatomy, and in the most of the cases are patients with juxtarenal AAAs. Fenestrated and branched endografts and newer "off the shelf" techniques (such as chimney, periscope, sandwich) have been recently described, all with the purpose of widening the therapeutic range of EVAR to the treatment of aneurysms with involvement of renal and visceral arteries. However, safety, efficacy, long-term results, and cost-effectiveness of these expensive techniques have still to be carefully assessed. For these reasons, the OR is currently still considered the gold standard for treatment of juxtarenal AAAs, reserving endovascular strategies mainly for high-risk patients having comorbidities or other contraindications for conventional repair. If compared to open repair of infrarenal AAAs, juxtarenal AAA OR is technically more complex and might require specific organ-protection strategies in order to minimize ischemia-reperfusion injury to kidneys and visceral organs. Because of the complexity of the surgical procedure and of the multiple clinical problems, an optimal operative strategy for the treatment of juxtarenal AAAs has not been established yet. The choice of the surgical access, clamping level, methods of organ protection and their impact on renal, respiratiry, cardiac and gastrointestinal morbidity are still debated issues.

Blunt aortic injury (BAI) involving an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is uncommon. The presence of an ARSA entails several treatment issues, in particular regarding the risk of perioperative posterior cerebral stroke. We report the case of a man with an ARSA who suffered from BAI. An initial conservative treatment with delayed open repair was chosen. A review of the published literature with discussion of the case is presented. The presence of an ARSA in patients with BAI can be considered a poor anatomy for endovascular repair, and suitable patients may benefit from delayed open repair., (Copyright © 2012 Annals of Vascular Surgery Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The PETTICOAT (Provisional ExTension to Induce COmplete ATtachment) technique may be employed during endovascular treatment of type B aortic dissection (TBD) using self-expandable bare stents distal to the covered stent graft placed over the proximal entry tear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the volume changes of the true (TL) and false lumen (FL) on computed tomography (CT) scans., Methods: Since 2005, 25 selected patients received endovascular treatment for complicated TBD with the PETTICOAT technique employing the Zenith Dissection Endovascular System (William Cook Europe, Bjaerverskov, Denmark). Indications to the use of the PETTICOAT technique were the evidence of clinical manifest dynamic malperfusion in five cases (20%) and/or radiologic evidence of TL collapse in 20 cases (80%). Five patients were treated within 2 weeks from onset, 13 patients between 2 weeks and 3 months, and seven patients over 3 months after the initial acute event. The volumetric analysis of the changes of TL and FL obtained from CT scan performed before endovascular treatment of TBD, postoperatively and yearly thereafter were analyzed using the OsiriX software v 3.9 (Pixmeo sarl, Bernex, Switzerland)., Results: Initial clinical (30 days) and midterm clinical success was observed in 21 cases (84%) and in 23 cases (92%), respectively. The volumes of the aortic TL and FL were evaluated at 30 days and midterm follow-up (mean, 38 ± 17 months). The following TL volumes were recorded: baseline 84 ± 29 cm(3), postoperative 167 ± 31 cm(3) (+98%), 1 year 193 ± 46 cm(3) (+131%), and 2 years 216 ± 54 cm(3) (+140%). The following FL volumes were recorded: baseline 332 ± 86 cm(3), postoperative 286 ± 85 cm(3) (-14%), 1 year 233 ± 81 cm(3) (-30%), and 2 years 248 ± 112 cm(3) (-32%). Progressive remodeling of the TL was recorded over time in both thoracic and abdominal segments with shrinkage of the FL mainly in the thoracic segment., Conclusions: These data provide insight into potential therapeutic benefit of the PETTICOAT technique. A significant immediate increase in TL could be achieved with resolution of all cases of dynamic malperfusion and TL collapse. A different behavior of volumes in the thoracic and abdominal segments was observed., (Copyright © 2012 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report the case of a 32-year-old man with severe polytrauma, submitted to urgent endovascular exclusion of a posttraumatic thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm. Two years later, computed tomography scan showed asymptomatic mural atherothrombosis of the aortic stent graft in its middle-distal portion, and the patient was placed on oral anticoagulants. As subsequent computed tomography scan showed progression of the thrombosis, the patient underwent surgical conversion, with stent graft explantation and in situ aortic replacement. Gross examination revealed mural organized thrombosis and a significant infolding of the distal end of the stent graft., (Copyright © 2012 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Visceral artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms represent a rare disease with high mortality. The aim of this study was to report a single center experience of open repair (OR) and endovascular treatment (ET) of 94 patients, and to analyze short- and midterm results., Methods: Between 1988 and 2010, 94 patients, 43 men and 51 women, mean age of 57.6 years (range, 23-87 years), were referred to our Institute with a diagnosis of visceral artery aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm. Arteries involved were splenic artery in 44 cases, hepatic artery in 17, renal artery in 18, superior mesenteric artery in six, celiac trunk in three, gastroduodenal in two, and pancreaticoduodenal in four. An abdominal aortic aneurysm coexisted in three (3%) cases, whereas in six (6%) cases, there were multiple visceral aneurysms. ET was indicated based on the anatomical location of the aneurysm or for patients at high risk for surgery., Results: A total of 74 patients underwent OR, whereas ET was performed in 20 patients. Technical success was achieved in all cases treated by open surgery. Splenectomy was performed in 11 cases, and in six, splenic autotransplantation was performed. At 6 months of follow-up, a Tc99m-labeled red cell scintigraphy showed that autotransplants were viable in four patients (67%). No cases of pancreatitis or splenic infarction were observed. Among renal artery aneurysms, nephrectomy was necessary in one case of renal infarction for massive thrombosis of the ex-vivo reconstructed renal artery. Four surgical conversions were recorded (one thrombosis of the hepatic artery, one massive hemorrhage after embolization of superior mesenteric artery aneurysm, and two cases of sac enlargement after 24 and 48 months). An endoleak was present in a patient treated for a splenic artery aneurysm, but it resolved spontaneously after 6 months. No complications were observed in patients undergoing surgical conversion after ET. Perioperative mortality in the surgical group was 1.3% (1/74). There was no perioperative mortality in the endovascular group. No statistically significant difference was found between groups in terms of perioperative mortality (p = 1.00). Perioperative morbidity was 9.4% (7/74) in the surgical group, and 10% (2/20) in the endovascular group (p = 1.00). Follow-up was available for 16 patients in the endovascular group (80%) and 63 in the surgical group (85%), with a mean duration of 42 months (1-192 months). In the whole cohort, actuarial survival at 10 years was 68%. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival at 1 and 5 years were 100% and 85%, respectively, for OR, and 100% and 40%, respectively, for ET, with no significant difference between the two groups, Conclusion: ET is safe and feasible in selected patients, but incomplete exclusion may be observed, requiring late surgical conversion in a significant number of patients. Long-term results (high survival, low complication rate) confirm the durability of the surgical approach that in our experience remains the gold standard with satisfactory results, especially for aneurysms involving the visceral hilum., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The search for less invasive therapeutic approaches to thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) brought endovascular procedures to establish themselves as alternatives to open surgery in high-risk patients. Aim of this study is to illustrate the hybrid - open and endovascular - treatment of dissecting and non-dissecting TAAAs, and to analyze short and midterm results at our Center. We analyzed 41 high-risk patients who underwent hybrid TAAA repair (dissecting TAAA in 17% of cases) with a variety of visceral rerouting configuration and of commercially available thoracic endografts. Thirty-one simultaneous (76%) and 10 staged procedures (24%) were performed with a four-vessel revascularization in 13 cases (32%), a three-vessel in 9 (22%) and a two-vessel in 19 (46%). No intraoperative deaths were observed in our series, with a technical success in endovascular TAAA repair of 100%. Two patients died in the intersurgical time. A perioperative mortality of 13% and a perioperative morbidity of 32% were recorded, including one case (2.4%) of permanent paraplegia. At a median follow-up of 23.3 months, we observed a visceral graft occlusion rate of 6%, three type II endoleak and one endograft migration. Six patients died for unrelated events. Typical complications of conventional TAAA open surgery have been not eliminated by hybrid repair and still significant mortality and morbidity have been reported. Dissecting etiology did not negatively affect the outcome of hybrid repair in our experience. Fate of visceral bypasses and incidence of endoleak and other endograft-related complications need to be carefully assessed. Hybrid TAAA repair should nowadays be limited as alternative to simple observation in patients unfit for the conventional open repair.

Retrograde type A dissection (RTAD) is not so uncommon after thoracic endovascular aortic repair of type B dissections, especially in the presence of connective tissue disorders. Risk of RTAD after thoracic endovascular aortic repair of nondissecting aneurysms has still to be clarified, mainly if proximal arch involvement requires hybrid repair with ascending aortic side clamping, supra-aortic trunks proximal re-routing and endograft landing in ascending aorta. We report a mid-term RTAD after hybrid repair of a proximal arch nondissecting aneurysm without connective tissue disorders. The technique for ascending aortic replacement without arch endograft removal and literature review about this poorly known complication are presented., (Copyright © 2010 Annals of Vascular Surgery Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as a promising, less invasive alternative to conventional open surgery for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathology. Most surveillance after TEVAR concentrates on the technical aspects of the procedure, including endoleak, device migration and endograft rupture; so far, the knowledge on endograft infectious complications is limited to anecdotal reports. Several etiopathogenetic factors may play a role in thoracic endograft infections (TEIs), including perioperative contamination, hematogenous seeding, and local bacterial translocation. Moreover, fistulization with the esophagus or the bronchial tree is a common mechanism of secondary TEI, and it represents a dramatic event requiring a multidisciplinary management. Risk factors assessment and prevention have a key role in avoiding the development of new TEIs. When a TEI is established, treatment is demanding, and includes several medical therapies associated with various surgical options. Patients are usually severely compromised by sepsis, and in most cases they are considered unfit for surgery for general clinical conditions or local concerns. Thus, results of different therapeutic strategies for TEI are still burdened with very high morbidity and mortality. In this paper, we reviewed the English literature regarding the main strategies proposed for operative management of TEI, we reported and analyzed our personal series of 7 patients treated at our institution for TEI from 1999 to 2009, and we summarized results from the data collected during a recent Italian multicenter national survey, performed to investigate aortoesophageal and aortobronchial fistulae treated with TEVAR or developed following TEVAR.

Purpose: To evaluate a 10-year single-center experience of arch endovascular aortic repair (AEVAR) using the hybrid approach., Methods: Between 1999 and 2009, 311 patients were treated with endografts for thoracic aortic pathologies. The aortic arch was involved in 116 (37.3%) patients (97 men; mean age 70.3+/-10.7 years, range 27-84). There were 83 atherosclerotic aneurysms, 21 type B dissections, and 12 other lesions whose proximal landing zones were categorized according to Ishimaru's classification as 24 zone 0, 27 zone 1, and 65 zone 2. A hybrid approach was performed for all zone 0 and zone 1 procedures and in nearly half (47.7%) of zone 2 procedures. Early and midterm outcomes were reviewed retrospectively., Results: The initial clinical success in zone 0 aneurysms was 83.3%, with a 30-day mortality of 12.5% due to intraoperative stroke in all the cases. The respiratory failure rate was 12.5%, and there was 1 type I endoleak that spontaneously resolved at follow-up. Midterm clinical success at a mean 26+/-21 months was 83.3%. In zone 1 aneurysms, the initial clinical success was 82.1% without 30-day mortality or perioperative stroke. The midterm clinical success was 81.5% at a mean 21+/-17 months [2 (7.4%) late aneurysm-related deaths]. Four type I endoleaks spontaneously resolved in 3 patients. In zone 2 cases, the initial clinical success was 90.8%. There was 1 (1.5%) intraoperative death and another (1.5%) within 30 days; 1 (1.5%) patient suffered a stroke, and the respiratory and renal failure rates were 3.0%, respectively. This is the only zone in which paraplegia (2 patients, 3.0%) was encountered. The midterm clinical success was 93.9% at a mean 34+/-20 months. Four type I endoleaks spontaneously resolved in 3 patients at follow-up., Conclusion: In selected patients, early and midterm outcomes of AEVAR using the hybrid approach are promising; however, mortality and morbidity, especially for zones 0 and 1, are not negligible. Our results may have practical implications for the ongoing evolution of the hybrid procedure in the aortic arch, as well as for patients fit for traditional surgery.

Purpose: To describe perforation of a Dacron aortic graft due to a post-thoracotomy dislocated rib fracture in a young Marfan patient., Case Report: Six months after a successful open repair of a type II dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA), a 40-year-old woman with Marfan syndrome underwent elective repair of a post-thoracotomy dislocated rib fracture. During the procedure, the graft ruptured; 2 TAG stent-grafts were emergently implanted to reline the existing aortic graft. The fractured rib was then resected. The postoperative course was uneventful, without residual leak at computed tomography at 3 days. At 18 months, the patient is well, without need of further operations., Conclusion: Early correction of any dislocated rib fracture close to a thoracic aortic graft should be considered, especially if the graft is not wrapped by the aneurysm sac. In these patients, in-graft endovascular relining associated with repair of the rib fracture may be a feasible and effective alternative to redo thoracotomy and surgical graft repair. Prior to attempting rib resection, appropriate thoracic endografts should be on hand in case an endovascular bailout is needed.

Primary aortoesophageal fistula is a rare cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Conservative treatment of aortoesophageal fistula results in a 60% in-hospital mortality rate with no late survival, and conventional surgical treatment has a reported in-hospital mortality rate that approaches 40%. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is an innovative and less invasive technique for the treatment of aortoesophageal fistula. It enables the rapid control of aortic bleeding and prevents fatal early exsanguination. However, the technique does not repair the esophagus, and there remains a substantial risk of mediastinitis and infection of the stent-graft. Herein, we report the cases of 2 patients in whom we used a combined treatment: thoracic endovascular aortic repair and delayed surgical repair of the esophagus. The esophageal repair involved direct suture of the esophageal wall and reinforcement with an intercostal muscle flap. Early follow-up evaluations suggest that our treatment of both patients was successful. We discuss the advantages and limitations of our technical choices and briefly review the pertinent medical literature.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the performance of bifurcated, longitudinally extensible (stretch), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts implanted in patients with aortoiliac or aortofemoral occlusive atherosclerotic disease. Between October 1991 and December 2005, 822 consecutive patients (708 men, 114 women; mean age 63.8 years) underwent aortoiliac or aortofemoral reconstruction using a bifurcated ePTFE stretch graft. Preoperatively, all patients had ultrasonographic and arteriographic evaluations and were divided into groups according to the TASC II morphological stratification of iliac lesions. Seventy-seven patients (9.4%) had type B lesions, 314 (38.2%) had type C lesions, and 431 (52.4%) were classified as type D lesions. Endarterectomy of the aorta was required in 172 patients (21%); femoral arteries were endarterectomized in 222 (27%). Femoropopliteal bypass grafting was performed in 18 patients, aortorenal bypass in 12, and mesenteric artery grafting in one. One patient died perioperatively of a myocardial infarction. Perioperative morbidity included cardiac (2.2% of patients), respiratory (0.9%), and gastrointestinal (1.2%) complications, as well as acute renal insufficiency (1.3%). Seven patients had bleeding requiring surgical revision within the first 24hr after surgery. There were four cases (0.5%) of immediate graft thrombosis and five (0.6%) of single-limb graft thrombosis. During a mean follow-up time of 72 months (range 28-170), 58 patients (7.1%) were lost to follow-up and 205 patients (24.9%) died. The primary and secondary graft-patency rates during the observation period were 90.6% and 97.9%, respectively. Twelve late graft occlusions resolved after thrombectomy alone. Eleven cases of single-limb late thrombosis resolved after thrombectomy and profundoplasty. The limb-salvage rate during the observation period in patients who underwent operation for critical limb ischemia was 84.5%. There were nine postoperative graft infections (1.1% infection rate) in the series. Our long-term experience with ePTFE stretch grafts in aortoiliac and aortofemoral reconstruction shows that these prostheses have a high rate of patency and a low rate of graft-related complications.

Objective: Hybrid thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair, consisting in re-routing of abdominal aortic visceral branches followed by TAAA endograft exclusion has been shown to be a feasible strategy, especially appealing in high-risk patients., Patients and Methods: We analysed 31 high-risk patients who underwent hybrid TAAA repair in our centre with a variety of visceral re-routing configuration and of commercially available thoracic endografts. Twenty-three simultaneous (74.2%) and eight staged procedures (25.8%) were performed with a four-vessel re-vascularisation in 10 cases (32.3%), a three-vessel in six (19.4%) and a two-vessel in 15 (48.4%). We also performed a literature review of major single-centre series of TAAA hybrid repair., Results: No intra-operative deaths were observed in our series, with a technical success in endovascular TAAA repair of 100%, an overall perioperative mortality of 19.4% and a perioperative morbidity of 35.5%, including one case (3.2%) of permanent paraplegia. At a median follow-up of 11.9 months, we observed a visceral graft occlusion rate of 6.8%, one type II endoleak and one endograft migration. From the literature review, six other single-centre series with more than 10 hybrid TAAA repairs were found. From data available of 107 patients, we observed a mean perioperative mortality of 15.6%, the rate of primary endoleaks was 17.9%, paraplegia/paraparesis 7.2% and renal failure 9.9%, with other major perioperative complications reported in the 50.6% of cases. At the follow-up period visceral graft occlusion rate was 5.1%., Conclusion: Typical complications of conventional TAAA open surgery have been not eliminated by hybrid repair and significant mortality and morbidity have been reported till date. The fate of visceral bypasses and incidence of endoleak and other endograft-related complications need to be carefully assessed. Hybrid TAAA repair should nowadays be limited as alternative to simple observation in patients unfit for the conventional open repair.

Objective: Visceral aortic patch (VAP) aneurysm repair following thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) open treatment carries high morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of our series of patients who underwent redo VAP aneurysm open surgery (conventional group) with a selected group of high-risk patients who underwent, in the same time period from 2001-2007, an alternative hybrid surgical and endovascular approach (hybrid group)., Methods: Conventional group: Twelve patients (11 males, median age 71.5 years, range, 65 to 77 years) underwent VAP aneurysm (median maximum diameter 62 mm, range, 52 to 75 mm) repair with re-inclusion technique via redo thoracophrenolaparotomy or bilateral subcostal laparotomy. Reimplantation of a single undersized VAP or separate revascularization of one or more visceral arteries was performed. Hybrid group: Seven patients (5 males, median age 70 years, range, 63 to 78 years) defined as at high risk for conventional surgery having American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class 3 or 4 associated with a preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) <50% or an ejection fraction <40%, underwent VAP aneurysm (median maximum diameter 73 mm, range, 62 to 84 mm) repair via median laparotomy, visceral arteries rerouting, and VAP aneurysm exclusion using commercially available thoracic aortic endografts., Results: Conventional group: Perioperative mortality was 16.7% and major morbidity 33.3%. One perioperative anuria was successfully treated with bilateral renal artery stenting. No paraplegia or paraparesis were observed. At a median follow-up of 2.3 years (range, 1.6-7 years), we observed one case of peri-graft fluid collection with sepsis at postoperative day 46 requiring surgical drainage and prolonged antibiotic therapy and one case of renal failure at day 68 requiring permanent hemodialysis. Hybrid group: perioperative mortality was 14.3% and major morbidity 28.6% with one case of transient delayed paraplegia. At a median follow-up of 1.9 years (range, 0.3-6.8 years), we observed one case of late pancreatitis (46 days postoperatively) resolved with pharmacologic treatment and one death due to an acute visceral grafts thrombosis (78 days postoperatively). We did not observe other procedure-related deaths or complications, VAP aneurysm growth, endoleak, and endograft migration., Conclusion: Hybrid repair is clearly a feasible alternative to simple observation for patients unfit for redo VAP aneurysm open surgery. However, despite our promising early results, new mid-term specific procedure-related complications have been observed and a widespread use of this technique should be currently limited until longer-term follow-up is available.

The occurrence of congenital pelvic kidney (cPK) during aorto-iliac aneurysm repair is an extremely unusual finding. We report a series of four patients with aorto-iliac aneurysm and associated cPK who underwent aorto-iliac repair at our institution over the last 10 years. Aorto-iliac aneurysm repair under cPK selective hypothermic perfusion was successfully accomplished in all cases. All the cPK arteries were spared and were selectively reimplanted when required. No major complications or death were reported at long-term follow-up. Open surgical repair of aorto-iliac aneurysm in patients with cPK is safe and effective and, in our short series, we observed no worsening of the renal function; besides, we reported a persistent improvement of the renal function in two out of the four cases.

Objective: The hybrid approach to the repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA), consisting of visceral aortic debranching with retrograde revascularization of the splanchnic and renal arteries and aneurysm exclusion using stent grafts, has been previously described and may be considered particularly appealing in high-risk patients, especially those who have undergone prior aortic surgery. This study analyzed prospectively recorded data of a series of high-risk patients with prior aortic surgery who underwent hybrid TAAA repair at our institute and contrasted the outcomes with those of a similar group of patients who underwent conventional open TAAA repair., Methods: Between 2001 and 2006, 13 patients (12 men) with a median age of 69.6 years (range, 35 to 82 years) underwent one-stage hybrid repair of TAAA (7 type I, 2 type II, 2 type IV, and 2 aneurysms of the visceral aortic patch). These patients, the hybrid group, had a history of aortic surgery (30.7% ascending, 30.7% descending, 46.1% abdominal aortic repair, and 15.4% redo TAAA) and were at high risk for open repair. The criteria used to define these patients as high risk and to indicate the need for hybrid treatment were American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 3 or 4 associated with a preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)<50%. In all cases, we accomplished partial or total visceral aortic debranching through (1) a previous visceral artery retrograde revascularization with synthetic grafts (single bypass, customized Y or bifurcated grafts), and (2) aortic endovascular repair with one of three different commercially produced stent grafts (Cook, W.L. Gore & Assoc, and Medtronic). We analyzed the results and compared the outcomes of the hybrid group with those of a similar group of 29 patients (25 men) with a median age 65.3 years (range, 58 to 79) selected from our overall series of 246 TAAA repairs between 1988 and 2005. These 29 patients, the conventionally treated group, were selected for having had aortic surgery (22% ascending, 38% descending, 42% abdominal aortic repair, and 10.3% redo TAAA), an ASA 3 or 4, a preoperative FEV1<50%, and a conventional open repair of TAAA (10 type I, 5 type II, 4 type III, 7 type IV, and 3 aneurysms of the visceral aortic patch)., Results: In the hybrid group, 32 visceral bypasses were completed and endovascular TAAA repair was successful in all cases. No intraoperative deaths occurred. Perioperative mortality was 23%, and morbidity was 30.8% (renal failure in 2, respiratory failure in 1, and delayed transient paraplegia in 1). At a median follow-up of 14.9 months (range, 11 days to 59.4 months), all grafts were patent at postoperative computed tomography angiography and no aneurysm-related deaths, endoleak, stent graft migration, or morbidity related to visceral revascularization had occurred. No conventionally treated patients died intraoperatively. Perioperative mortality was 17.2% and morbidity was 44.8% (respiratory failure in 7, coagulopathy in 1, renal failure in 2, and paraplegia in 3). At a median follow-up of 5.4 years (range, 1.7 to 7.9 years), no significant complications related to aortic repair occurred, except for three patients (10.3%) with asymptomatic dilatation of the visceral aortic patch<5 cm undergoing radiologic surveillance., Conclusion: Hybrid TAAA repair is technically feasible in selected cases. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were considerable in our subset of high-risk patients with prior aortic surgery, but no aneurysm-related or procedure-related complications were reported at mid-term follow-up. Hybrid TAAA repair did not lead to a significant improvement in outcomes compared with open TAAA repair in a similar group of patients. Larger series are required for valid statistical comparisons and longer follow-ups are necessary to evaluate the durability of hybrid repairs.

Objective: To analyse the fate of a visceral aortic patch (VAP) in patients that underwent thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair., Methods: We reviewed 204 consecutive patients (158 M, 46 F) treated for TAAA between 1988 and 2004. We performed VAP in 182 cases. Among the 149 survivors at 6 months, we followed 138 cases, mean follow-up 7 years (range 0.6-16 years). The mean graft diameter we used was 29mm (range 24-34mm) from 1988 to 1999 (83 patients), and 21.7mm (range 16-24mm) from 2000 to 2003 (55 patients). In 23% of cases we performed a separate bypass to the left renal artery., Results: We observed 16 (12%) VAP dilatations (<5cm), 6 (4%) VAP aneurysms (>5cm) and one VAP pseudoaneurysm, at a mean time of 6 years after atherosclerotic TAAA was atherosclerotic repair. There were no VAP dilatations/aneurysms in the group of patients with separate left renal revascularization. Five VAP aneurysms were treated electively. In four cases the operation was performed with thoracophrenolaparotomy, in one case with a bilateral subcostal laparotomy. In all cases the visceral aorta was re-grafted. Reimplantation of a single undersized VAP was performed in one case, separate revascularization of visceral arteries was performed in the other four cases. Selective intraoperative hypothermic perfusion of visceral and renal arteries was used in all the patients. There was 1 perioperative death; 2 patients with preoperative renal failure required dialysis. The last VAP aneurysm has remained asymptomatic and stable at annual CT surveillance. The VAP pseudoaneurysm was successfully treated with an emergency thoracophrenolaparotomy and refashioning the left side suture line., Conclusions: Aneurysm of VAP is not uncommon in the patients operated on using larger grafts with a single VAP that includes the LRA (7.4%, 5/67 cases). Its treatment carries significant morbidity and mortality.

Purpose: To present a 2-stage combined endovascular and surgical approach for recurrent thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA)., Case Report: A 78-year-old man with previous surgical repairs of infrarenal abdominal and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms was referred for dysphagia due to an enlarging 9-cm aneurysm extending from the mid thoracic to the suprarenal aorta. Because no suitable endograft was available, an open repair was attempted, but the presence of a "frozen" chest made the redo procedure extremely difficult. A 2-stage treatment was thus decided upon. First, a retrograde bifurcated bypass graft was implanted from the abdominal aortic graft to the superior mesenteric and celiac arteries. Twenty days later, the TAAA was successfully excluded with a stent-graft, during which spinal fluid drainage was performed to prevent paraplegia. At 6 months, computed tomography showed patency of the endoprosthesis and visceral grafts. At 1 year, the patient remains asymptomatic., Conclusions: This case illustrates that a 2-stage combined endovascular and surgical approach may be a safe and effective alternative to reoperation for recurrent TAAA.