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Background Endovascular repair has become a viable alternative for aortic pathological features, including those located within the aortic arch. We investigated the anatomic suitability for branched thoracic endovascular repair in patients previously treated with conventional open surgery for aortic arch pathological features. Methods and Results Patients who underwent open surgery for aortic arch pathological features at our institution between 2000 and 2018 were included. Anatomic suitability was determined by strict compliance with the anatomic criteria within manufacturers' instructions for use for each of the following branched thoracic stent grafts: Relay Plus Double-Branched (Terumo-Aortic), TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis (W.L. Gore & Associates), Zenith Arch Branched Device (Cook-Medical), and Nexus Stent Graft System (Endospan Ltd/Jotec GmbH). Computed tomography angiography images were analyzed with outer luminal line measurements. A total of 377 patients (mean age, 64±14 years; 64% men) were identified, 153 of whom had suitable computed tomography angiography images for measurements. In total, 59 patients (15.6% of the total cohort and 38.6% of the measured cohort) were eligible for endovascular repair using at least one of the devices. Device suitability was 30.9% for thoracic aneurysms, 4.6% for type A dissections, 62.5% for type B dissections, and 28.6% for other pathological features. Conclusions The anatomic suitability for endovascular repair of all aortic arch pathological features was modest. The highest suitability rates were observed for thoracic aneurysms and for type B dissections, of which repair included part of the aortic arch. We suggest endovascular repair of arch pathological features should be reserved for high-volume centers with experience in endovascular arch repair.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to review treatment trends and outcomes of patients who underwent fenestrated-branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F-BEVAR) of pararenal aneurysms (PRAs) or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) using physician-modified endografts (PMEGs) or company-manufactured devices (CMDs)., Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of 316 consecutive patients (242 male patients; mean age, 75 ± 8 years) who underwent F-BEVAR between 2007 and 2016. F-BEVAR was performed under two prospective investigational device exemption protocols since 2013. End points were mortality, major adverse events (MAEs), patient survival, reintervention, branch instability, aneurysm-related mortality, renal function deterioration, and target vessel patency., Results: There were 145 patients (46%) treated by PMEGs (84 PRAs, 26 extent IV and 35 extent I-III TAAAs) and 171 patients (54%) who had CMDs (88 PRAs, 42 extent IV and 41 extent I-III TAAAs). Choice of endograft evolved from PMEGs in 131 patients (83%) treated in the first half of experience to CMDs in 144 patients (91%) treated in the second half of experience (P < .001). Patients treated by PMEGs had significantly (P < .05) larger aneurysms, more chronic pulmonary and kidney disease, and higher comorbidity severity scores. A total of 1081 renal-mesenteric arteries were targeted in both groups. Technical success was lower for PMEGs (98% vs 99.5%; P = .02). Thirty-day mortality was 5.5% for PMEGs (PRAs, 1.2%; extent IV 3.8% and extent I-III, 17.1%) and 0% for CMDs (P = .0018). Patients treated by PMEGs had significantly more (P < .001) MAEs (48% vs 23%) and longer hospital stay (9 ± 10 days vs 6 ± 6 days; P = .001). Mean follow-up was significantly longer for patients treated by PMEGs (38 ± 26 months vs 14 ± 12 months; P < .001). At 3 years, patient survival (68% ± 4% vs 67% ± 8%; P = .11), freedom from reintervention (68% ± 4% vs 68% ± 8%; P = .17), primary (94% ± 2% vs 92% ± 2%; P = .64) and secondary target vessel patency (98% ± 1% vs 98% ± 1%; P = .89), and freedom from renal function deterioration (75% ± 4% vs 65% ± 6%; P = .24) were similar for patients treated by PMEGs or CMDs, respectively., Conclusions: Choice of F-BEVAR evolved from PMEGs to almost exclusively CMDs under physician-sponsored investigational device exemption protocols. PMEG patients had more comorbidities and larger aneurysms. CMDs were performed with higher technical success, no mortality, and fewer MAEs., (Copyright © 2018 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Stent graft placement is a safe and effective treatment option for vascular complications in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study aimed to provide long-term angiological follow-up of stent grafts used for this indication., Methods and Results: Seventy-one patients (64.8% female, log EuroScore 14.7 ± 6.8%) who had undergone TAVI between March 2010 and October 2015 with implantation of a Viabahn or Fluency stent graft to treat access-site or access-related vascular injury (ASARVI) were analyzed. Implantations were mostly due to access-site bleeding complications (83.1%) in the common femoral artery (97.1%). Follow-up was performed with duplex sonography in all patients after a median of 3.9 years after TAVI (interquartile range [IQR]: 895-1749 days). Ultrasound revealed tri- or biphasic flow patterns in 16.9% and 77.6%, respectively. Stent graft patency was 100% without signs of stent graft stenosis (mean peak velocity ratio 1.0 ± 0.2). Pseudo-aneurysms or endoleaks were diagnosed in 5.6% of patients. Additional fluoroscopic and/or computed tomography (CT)-imaging was available in 36.6% of patients and did not reveal any stent fracture., Conclusion: Self-expanding stent grafts provide excellent long-term function with few complications when implanted in the context of TAVI-related ASARVI., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The Barrel stent is a laser cut stent designed for stent-assisted coil embolization of wide-necked bifurcation or branch aneurysms with a single device, with the purpose of lowering the metal-to-artery ratio and its inherent risk of thromboembolic complications of multiple stents. We report our early experiences with this device in 17 patients in this retrospective single-center analysis., Materials and Methods: 17 consecutive patients who underwent stent-assisted coil embolization of wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms with the Barrel stent were retrospectively identified. We analyzed the feasibility of successful deployment and post-treatment angiographic results. Adverse events, clinical outcome, and angiographic follow-up results were also analyzed., Results: Aneurysms were located in the internal carotid artery (n=3), the middle cerebral artery (n=9), the anterior communicating artery (n=3), and the basilar artery (n=2). In the immediate post-treatment angiography, adequate occlusion (neck remnant or total occlusion) was observed in 16/17 (94.1%) of aneurysms. One patient experienced a transient ischemic attack. No permanent neurologic deficits were observed. 13/17 (76.5%) patients underwent short-term follow-up angiography after 3 months, all of which showed adequate occlusion of the aneurysm., Conclusions: In this small retrospective single-center analysis we show that stent-assisted coiling with the Barrel stent is a safe and effective option for the endovascular treatment of intracranial wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

Background: Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) is increasingly being used for juxtarenal aortic aneurysms. The aim of this study was to review long-term results and assess the importance of changing stent-graft design on outcomes., Methods: This was a retrospective review of all patients who underwent FEVAR within a single unit over 12 years (February 2003 to December 2015). Kaplan-Meier analysis of survival, and freedom from target vessel loss, aneurysm expansion, graft-related endoleak and secondary intervention was performed. Comparison between outcomes of less complex grafts (fewer than 3 fenestrations) and more complex grafts (3 or 4 fenestrations) was undertaken., Results: Some 173 patients underwent FEVAR; median age was 76 (i.q.r. 70-79) years and 90·2 per cent were men. Median aneurysm diameter was 63 (59-71) mm and median follow-up was 34 (16-50) months. The adjusted primary technical operative success rate was 95·4 per cent. The in-hospital mortality rate was 5·2 per cent; there was no known aneurysm-related death during follow-up. Median survival was 7·1 (95 per cent c.i. 5·2 to 8·1) years and overall survival was 60·1 per cent (104 of 173). There was a trend towards an increasing number of fenestrations in the graft design over time. In-hospital mortality appeared higher when more complex stent-grafts were used (8 versus 2 per cent for stent-grafts with 3-4 versus fewer than 3 fenestrations; P = 0·059). Graft-related endoleaks were more common following deployment of stent-grafts with three or four fenestrations (12 of 90 versus 6 of 83; P < 0·001)., Conclusion: Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair for juxtarenal aneurysm is associated with few aneurysm-related deaths in the long term. Significant numbers of secondary interventions are required, but the majority of these can be performed using an endovascular approach., (© 2017 The Authors. BJS published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

The technology available for the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is rapidly evolving. Both current and future devices are described. This includes, among others, UNO for parent vessel occlusion, the Medina device for saccular filling, the Comaneci device for remodeling, pCONus for assisted coil occlusion, and WEB and pCANvas for intrasaccular flow disruption. Perspectives of further development such as surface coating for increased radioopacity and decreased thrombogenicity are explained.

The history of interventional cardiology has been marked by several technologic revolutions since the late 1970s. The first key step was the use of inflatable balloon angioplasty as an alternative to CABG surgery for coronary revascularization, followed by intracoronary delivery of bare metal stent (BMS) and drug eluting stents (DES) to drastically reduce intracoronary restenosis observed with BMS. Improved stents platforms and polymers (absorbable or biocompatible) led to a dramatic reduction in the rate of late stent thrombosis. Self-expanding stents are now available to improve stent a position especially in acute myocardial infarction. The emergence of new fully bioabsorbable stents that can be combined with antiproliferative drugs is the ongoing revolution. A new generation of stents is continuously improving and likely to become the ideal stent for coronary revascularization in the near future., (© 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.)

The article is dedicated to outstanding Soviet and Russian interventional radiologist, Professor I. Kh. Rabkin and his priorities in the development of roentgenoendovascular methods of diagnosis and treatment of arterial and venous diseases. Virtually simultaneously with American surgeons, I. Kh. Rabkin not only worked out anew method of intravascular stenting of arteries with spirals made of shape-memory metal ( nitinol) but was the first in the world who in 1984 successfully stented the external iliac artery in a 56-year-old male patient with stage IV limb ischaemia.

Endovascular treatments for catastrophic aortic conditions have gained increasing popularity over the past 20 years. Originally developed for abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR), treatment has been modified for use in thoracic aortic repair (TEVAR). As expanding numbers of patients with increasingly intractable conditions and more hostile anatomies are treated, endovascular stent designs are maturing to be suitable for these more demanding situations. This article discusses the engineering considerations that apply to changing stent graft designs for current and evolving thoracic applications. The biological parameters that differentiate thoracic from abdominal aortic environments are outlined. Factors concerning materials, sealing mechanisms, deployment, stent frame architecture, and migration resistance are described, and eagerly awaited potential future developments are summarized., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The paradigm in elective surgical management of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has quickly shifted from major open surgical repairs to less invasive, endovascular procedures. In the last few years, there have been numerous advancements to commercially available devices making the endovascular approach more attractive and efficacious. This review serves to detail the similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantages of currently available endovascular stent-grafts as well as preview future and emerging technologies in endovascular aortic therapies.

In-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis are still the main topics of any update on coronary intervention. One of the challenging issues in the past year lay in answering the question of whether the data on first-generation drug-eluting stents are still relevant in the light of newer stent designs and drugs. Other issues include new strategies in antiplatelet therapy, treatment of in-stent restenosis, particularly drug-eluting stent restenosis, treatment of multivessel and left-main disease, as well as the latest developments in bioresorbable polymers and "scaffolds". In the light of demographic changes, the main challenge for the interventional community is to build an evidence base for the adequate treatment of elderly patients in order to resolve uncertainties in the treatment of this challenging patient group.

Endovascular treatment and stent implantation for peripheral arterial disease have been proposed for over 20 years. However, the first experiments with stainless stents were relatively disappointing. The first improvement consisted in the introduction of nitinol self-expanding stents. This technology allowed an initial improvement of clinical performances, but the first generation of nitinol stents demonstrated a relatively high rate of fractures. Better knowledge of arterial biomechanics and advances in technology allowed to propose a second generation of nitinol stents with improved flexibility, which decreased the rates of fracture. In-stent restenosis related to neointimal hyperplasia has also led to the development of new concepts to improve patency rates after stenting: drug-eluting stents (coated-stents), biodegradable stents, and covered stents. These technologies will help to treat more complex lesions in the future, but we are still waiting for results of ongoing studies.

Stent thrombosis (ST) is a serious complication of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with high mortality rates of up to 45%. Bare metal stents (BMS) and drug-eluting stents (DES) present similar rates of early (0.6%-1.2%) and late (0.3%-0.4%) ST. Very late ST is a specific entity after implantation of first-generation DES (sirolimus and paclitaxel) with an observed rate at 0.6% events/year. Strong predictors for early and late ST include: inadequate platelet inhibition, acute coronary syndromes (ACS), procedure-related factors such as stent underexpansion or dissection and patient-related factors such as diabetes, renal failure or a low left ventricular ejection fraction. Very late ST has been associated with delayed endothelial healing and drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction with exaggerated positive vessel remodeling, secondary incomplete stent apposition and paradoxical vasoconstriction. Dual antiplatelet therapy plays a key role in the prevention of ST. Premature dual antiplatelet therapy interruption (<6 months after PCI) and clopidogrel resistance (25% of patients) are strongly associated with ST. Finally, promising new pharmacologic agents such as prasugrel and ticagrelor have been introduced, permitting more predictable inhibition of platelet aggregation and enabling a further reduction in ST risk.

The past few decades have seen a very rapid change in the manner in which infrarenal aortic disease is diagnosed and dealt with. The approach has changed from open, large incision surgery with long and complicated postoperative courses to minimally invasive techniques in which the patient can go home the next day. A large number of devices have come and gone, and techniques to deal with aortic problems are ever changing. We have reviewed the past, current, and future technology to help make the treatment options more clear.

Carotid stenosis is a major risk factor for stroke. With the aging of the general population and the availability of non-invasive vascular imaging studies, the diagnosis of a carotid plaque is commonly made in medical practice. Asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenoses need to be considered separately because their natural history is different. Two large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed the effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in preventing ipsilateral ischemic events in patients with symptomatic severe stenosis. The benefit of surgery is much less for moderate stenosis and harmful in patients with stenosis less than 50%. Surgery has a marginal benefit in patients with asymptomatic stenosis. Improvements in medical treatment must be taken into consideration when interpreting the results of these previous trials which compared surgery against medical treatment available at the time the trials were conducted. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) might avoid the risks associated with surgery, including cranial nerve palsy, myocardial infarction, or pulmonary embolism. Therefore and additionally to well-established indications of CAS, this endovascular approach might be a valid alternative particularly in patients at high surgical risk. However, trials of endovascular treatment of carotid stenosis have failed to provide enough evidence to justify routine CAS as an alternative to CEA in patients suitable for surgery. More data from ongoing randomized trials of CEA versus CAS will be soon available. These results will help determining the role of CAS in the management of patients with carotid artery stenosis., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has quickly gained popularity for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair during the last two decades. The improvement of available EVAR devices is critical for the advancement of patient care in vascular surgery. Problems are still associated with the grafts, many of which can necessitate the conversion of the patient to open repair, or even result in rupture of the aneurysm. This review attempts to address these problems, by highlighting why they occur and what the failings of the currently available stent grafts are, respectively. In addition, the review gives critical appraisal as to the novel methods required for dealing with these problems and identifies the new generation of stent grafts that are being or need to be designed and constructed in order to overcome the issues that are associated with the existing first- and second-generation devices.

Symptomatic obstruction of the superior vena cava is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition. Conventional surgery and radiation therapy have a historical role in the management of patients with malignant superior vena cava obstruction. Interventional radiologists can relieve these symptoms rapidly and safely in the vast majority of patients. The technical and clinical success rates are high and compare very favorably with currently available medical and surgical treatments. Although recurrent obstruction may occur, most patients can be treated by re-intervention.

This article includes a review of major intravenous and endovascular stroke trials, treatment options, and future aspects of acute stroke treatment in hemispheric and vertebrobasilar stroke. Since the invention of local intraarterial thrombolysis by Hermann Zeumer in 1981, acute stroke diagnostics and treatment have undergone dramatic improvement. This article addresses major topics in recent stroke treatment debates: optimization of patient selection, intravenous versus endovascular therapy, time window limitations, combined treatment with intravenous/intraarterial bridging therapies (intravenous/intraarterial recombinant tissue plasminogen activator [rtPA] bridging and intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor/intraarterial rtPA bridging) and modern endovascular treatment modes like percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA)/stenting and mechanical thrombectomy devices. Modern acute stroke therapy networks should optimize their noninvasive diagnostic capacity to early identify candidates for endovascular therapy with rapid access to specialized neuroendovascular centers using standard protocols. The most promising approach in acute stroke treatment seems to be a combination of intravenous and endovascular revascularization procedure, combining early treatment initiation with direct clot manipulation and PTA/stenting in underlying stenosis with atherothrombotic occlusions. Further randomized studies comparing intravenous and endovascular treatment, mainly in the anterior circulation, have to be expected and need wide support of the neurologic and neuroradiologic stroke community.

Stent-based therapies in percutaneous vascular intervention are associated with significant long-term complications related to in-stent restenosis. A growing body of literature demonstrates the feasibility of biodegradable materials for endovascular stents, which may, in theory, circumvent many of the immunologic and inflammatory response issues seen with long-term metallic stent failure in coronary and peripheral applications. This review describes the history of endovascular stents and the challenges encountered with metallic, drug-eluting, and biodegradable stents. A review of the basic engineering principles of biodegradable stents is provided, along with a discussion of the cellular mechanisms of restenosis.

The purpose of this review article is to give an overview of the current development of intracranial stenting for treatment of atherosclerotic stenoses. Natural history and methods for diagnostic imaging are described as basis for the indication for endovascular treatment. Target group are patients with high-grade symptomatic stenoses > 70%. Technical standards for the use of self-expanding and balloon-expandable stents are reported together with the results of clinical case series. It seems to be difficult to drop acute complication rates (procedure-related stroke and death during the first 30 days) reliably from current levels of around 10% to values < 6%, which are more acceptable for a prophylactic procedure for the prevention of stroke. High restenosis rates up to 30% in the 1st year raised concerns about long-term efficacy. Further technical developments and improved criteria for patient selection are necessary to make intracranial stenting safer and more effective before a randomized trial (stent vs. medical treatment) may prove superiority of the endovascular approach.

The very first experiences in the early 1990s with endovascular aortic stent-grafts were associated with significant numbers of complications including an inability to deploy the stent-graft, conversion to open surgery, and aneurysm rupture. By the mid-1990s, improved home-made and commercially available stent-grafts started to appear. These devices could be successfully deployed in the aorta, achieving aneurysm exclusion with low morbidity and mortality. However, follow-up results raised concerns about the longer-term durability. Gradually, too, these problems have been addressed such that, in the recent UK multi-centre randomized controlled trial of endovascular versus open aneurysm repair, aneurysm-related mortality was 3 per cent less in the endovascular group four years following surgery. Currently the indications for aortic stent-grafts are being expanded. It is now possible to maintain perfusion successfully in aortic side branches and to treat aneurysms that would have once been thought untreatable. This review paper reviews the main developments in endovascular stent-grafting and the major role played by medical engineering and technology.

Coronary stent implantation started in Germany 20 years ago. In the beginning, the progress was very slow and accelerated 10 years later. Meanwhile, coronary stent implantation is a standard procedure in interventional cardiology. From the beginning of permanent stent implantation, research started to provide temporary stenting of coronary arteries, first with catheter-based systems, later with stent-alone technology. Stents were produced from polymers or metal. The first polymer stent implantation failed except the Igaki-Tamai stent in Japan. Newly developed absorbable polymer stents seem to be very promising, as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography have demonstrated. Temporary metal stents were developed based on iron and magnesium. Currently, the iron stent is tested in peripheral arteries. The absorbable magnesium stent (Biotronik, Berlin, Germany) was tested in peripheral arteries below the knee and meanwhile in the multicenter international PROGRESS-AMS (Clinical Performance and Angiographic Results of Coronary Stenting with Absorbable Metal Stents) study. The first magnesium stent implantation was performed on July 30, 2004 after extended experimental testing in Essen. The magnesium stent behaved like a bare-metal stent with low recoil of 5-7%. The stent struts were absorbed when tested with IVUS. Stent struts were not visible by fluoroscopy or computed tomography (CT) as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). That means, that the magnesium stent is invisible and therefore CT and MRI can be used for imaging of interventions. Only using micro-CT the stent struts were visible. The absorption process could be demonstrated in a patient 18 days after implantation due to suspected acute coronary syndrome, which was excluded. IVUS showed a nice open lumen. Stent struts were no longer visible, but replaced by tissue indicating the previous stent location. Coronary angiography after 4 months showed an ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization rate of 23.8% which was below the 30% cut point of the study protocol. No myocardial Q wave infarction or death were reported. The primary endpoint was reached. During the follow-up period, vasomotion was tested in some of the patients. The proof of principle was confirmed: restoration of vasomotion during acetylcholine testing. The development of the absorbable magnesium stent, which was pushed forward by B. Heublein, Hanover, Germany, has been successful and opens new possibilities for treatment of coronary arteries. Permanent foreign-body implantation is avoided allowing further revascularization procedures in the future, bypass grafting, and restoration of vasomotion. Even prophylactic stenting in nonsignificant stenosis, like vulnerable lesions, may become a regular procedure. Noninvasive coronary imaging by CT and MRI is now possible. Stenting of children and in peripheral arteries may become a standard procedure. Currently, the degradation process of the magnesium stent has to be prolonged, and the neointima proliferation rate has to be reduced so that the DREAM (Drug-Eluting Absorbable Magnesium Stent) concept of Ron Waksman, Washington, DC, USA, can be realized.

Objective: Giant (>or=25 mm in diameter) cerebral aneurysms have a poor natural history, with high risks of subarachnoid hemorrhage or progressive disability or death caused by mass effect or stroke. Surgical treatment may be effective but carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality. Thus, attempts at endovascular solutions to these complex lesions have been developed to offer therapy at reduced risk., Methods: The authors reviewed their clinical experience and the current body of literature concerning giant cerebral aneurysms and present their perspective on the current state of the art in endovascular therapy for these aneurysms. A variety of techniques are described that can be used in an attempt to provide a solution to the wide variety of clinical dilemmas associated with the management of these difficult lesions. Preprocedural planning and periprocedural considerations are discussed briefly. The use of intracranial balloons and stents are described in conjunction with the use of detachable platinum coils. The developing concept of using stents alone to treat aneurysms is discussed. Alternative methods of treating giant aneurysms are discussed., Results: Current endovascular approaches, when properly selected and applied, can provide lower-risk therapies than conventional microsurgical approaches for patients harboring giant cerebral aneurysms. However, endovascular approaches do not, at present, provide results that are as durable as current surgical techniques for giant cerebral aneurysms., Conclusion: Treatment of giant cerebral aneurysms via endovascular therapeutics requires the interventionist to possess an extensive armamentarium. Meticulous preprocedure evaluation, patient selection, and execution of the treatment plan enable safe and effective management. Current therapies do not provide an ideal solution for every patient, so one must consider creative and evolving solutions to these difficult clinical challenges. The procedural morbidity of open surgery versus the decreased durability of current endovascular techniques must be assessed carefully.

Objective: The purposes of this article are to summarize recent developments and concerns in endovascular aneurysm therapy leading to the adjunctive use of endoluminal devices, to review the published literature on stent-supported coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms, and to describe our experience with this technique in a limited subgroup of problematic complex aneurysms over a medium-term follow-up period., Methods: Between January 2003 and June 2004, 28 individuals among 157 patients with cerebral aneurysms we evaluated were identified as harboring aneurysms with exceptionally broad necks. Out of these 28 patients, 16 were treated with a combination of stents and detachable coils, preserving the parent artery. Recorded data included patient demographics, the clinical presentation, aneurysm location and characteristics, procedural details, and clinical and angiographic outcome., Results: Over an 18-month period, 16 patients with large cerebral aneurysms additionally characterized by neck sizes between 7 and 14 mm were treated, using combined coil embolization of the aneurysm with stent reconstruction of the aneurysm neck. Thirteen out of the 16 aneurysms were occluded at angiographic reevaluation between 11 and 24 months (mean angiographic follow-up, 17.5 mo). There were no treatment-related deaths or clinically evident neurological complications. Thirteen patients experienced excellent clinical outcomes, with good outcomes in two patients and a poor visual outcome in one patient (mean clinical follow-up, 29 mo). A single technical complication occurred, involving transient nonocclusive stent-associated thrombus, which was treated uneventfully with abciximab., Conclusion: Stent-supported coil embolization of large, complex-neck cerebral aneurysms seems to provide superior medium-term anatomic reconstruction of the parent artery compared with historic series of aneurysms treated exclusively with endosaccular coils. In the near future, increasingly sophisticated endoluminal devices offering higher coverage of the neck defect will likely enable more definitive endovascular treatment of complex cerebral aneurysms and further expand our ability to manipulate the vascular biology of the parent artery.

The treatment of giant aneurysms remains a formidable challenge for endovascular and surgical strategies. The use of endovascular techniques in a deconstructive (e.g., parent vessel occlusion) and reconstructive (e.g., stent coiling) methodology is reviewed. The results of endovascular coiling as a primary therapy for giant aneurysm occlusion have been disappointing. Hunterian strategies have had more success in published series, but recent developments in coil, glue, and stent technology show great promise in allowing parent vessel reconstruction as a primary endovascular target, with acceptable morbidity, mortality, and durability. A literature review of giant aneurysm endovascular treatment strategies was undertaken after 1994, when Guglielmi detachable coils were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Where possible, follow-up, durability, and occlusion rates are also reviewed.

Objective: Giant intracranial aneurysms present unique therapeutic intricacies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anatomic and hemodynamic characteristics of these lesions and the current endovascular and combined surgical and endovascular techniques available for their treatment., Methods: A review of the literature and the personal experiences of the authors with endovascular treatment of giant aneurysms are presented. This review included anatomic and hemodynamic features and analysis of the diverse endovascular techniques that have been reported for the management of these aneurysms., Results: Anatomic features that create particular challenges in the therapeutic approach of giant aneurysms include size, shape (saccular, fusiform, serpentine), neck dimensions, branch involvement, intraluminal thrombosis, and location. Hemodynamic characteristics that affect endovascular treatment are lateral or terminal aneurysm type of flow and embolic material placement (inflow versus outflow aneurysmal region). The current endovascular therapeutic approaches include parent artery occlusion, trapping, endosaccular embolization with or without adjunctive techniques such as balloon-assisted or stent placement, and combined surgical and endovascular approaches, mainly with surgical revascularization and endovascular occlusion., Conclusion: Although there are a wide variety of endovascular therapeutic options for the treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms, none of the current techniques is completely successful and free of complications in the management of these complex lesions. A detailed and individualized analysis of each case in conjunction with sufficient understanding of the anatomy and hemodynamics of a particular aneurysm should guide the therapeutic decision. Further research advances will assist in elucidating the factors predisposing to genesis, progression, and aggressive clinical manifestations of these giant lesions.

Thoracic aortic pathology is common, but conventional surgery carries with it a significant risk of mortality and morbidity due to thoracotomy, extensive surgical dissection, partial left lung collapse, proximal aortic cross-clamping and blood loss necessary for open thoracic aortic replacement. Endovascular techniques have the potential to remove much of this harm. However, endograft delivery to the thoracic aorta brings its own challenges; the graft and delivery system must be conformable to follow the aortic arch, flexible to track through tortuous calcified vessels, of low profile for access through the iliac arteries, and deploy accurately and with minimal force to avoid accidental side branch occlusion. The endoprosthesis must also prove to be durable. This paper reviews current indications for thoracic aortic stent grafts and the properties of an ideal endograft for deployment in the arch and descending aorta. The Medtronic Valiant TM endoprosthesis with Xcelerant TM Delivery System is a third-generation system designed specifically for the treatment of a range of thoracic aortic pathologies, including but not exclusively, aneurysms and dissections. The design of the Valiant endoprosthesis and delivery system are described in detail, and compared to the second-generation Talent system. Our early experience of using Valiant in 28 patients with a range of pathologies is described. The graft achieved an initial technical success in 93% and was easy to position and deploy. Long-term data is now required; the Virtue Registry is a prospective multicenter European registry collecting clinical and health economics data on Valiant in the management of aortic dissections.

This article reviews the clinical use of stents in the treatment of coronary artery disease and the rationale for the use of degradable, drug-eluting polymer stents. The authors note the challenges of using off-the-shelf polymers for the development of degradable stents, as well as the interplay between polymer properties and a functional stent design. Drug-eluting metal stents are the most significant advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease, and have significantly reduced the occurrence of in-stent restenosis after placement. Some regard drug-eluting metal stents as the final technologic advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease, others consider the future development of degradable, drug-eluting stents as the next logical step.

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms has been challenged by a number of groups, and the shortcomings of this procedure have been documented in the scientific literature. However, patients and physicians continue to pursue this procedure as a viable means of treating abdominal aortic aneurysms. Both device evolution and advancement of technical skills have led to dramatic improvements in the outcomes of EVAR within the last decade. These improvements and accomplishments have also been chronicled in the literature. This review looks at the successes of EVAR, based on both US Food and Drug Administration trials and independent studies comparing conventional open repair and endovascular repair.

Aortic stent-graft repair has been widely used in clinical practice for more than a decade, achieving satisfactory results compared to open surgical techniques. Transrenal fixation of stent-grafts is designed to obtain secure fixation of the proximal end of the stent-graft to avoid graft migration and to prevent type I endoleak. Unlike infrarenal deployment of stent-grafts, transrenal fixation takes advantage of the relative stability of the suprarenal aorta as a landing zone for the uncovered struts of the proximal stent. These transostial wires have sparked concern about the patency of the renal arteries, interference with renal blood flow, and effects on renal function. Although short to midterm results with suprarenal stent-grafts have not shown significant changes in renal function, long-term effects of this technique are still not fully understood. This review will explore the current status of transrenal fixation of aortic stent-grafts, potential risks of stent struts relative to the renal ostium, alternative methods to preserve blood flow to the renal arteries, and future directions or developments in stent-graft design to prevent myointimal proliferation around the stent struts.