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Purpose To demonstrate safety and effectiveness of the novel ByCross® atherectomy system for treatment of complex femorodistal > 80% arterial stenosis. Materials and Methods From September 2018 until April 2019 39 patients with 41 femorodistal lesions including the femoropopliteal and distal popliteal segments were treated in a prospective, nonrandomized pre-market approval study with 6 months follow up using the ByCross® atherectomy device (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03724279). Adjunctive treatment with balloon dilatation or stenting was allowed by the protocol. Mean patient age was 72 years with 62% male. The average lesions length was 125 ± 118 mm (30 and 450 mm) with an average reference vessel diameter of 5.2 ± 0.85 mm and a mean stenosis of 96.4 ± 6.2% based on CT or MR angiography measurements. The primary performance endpoint was defined as acute procedural success with angiographically determined residual stenosis of ≤ 50% and of ≤ 30% after atherectomy or adjunctive treatment. The primary safety endpoint was the major adverse event (MAE) rate through 30 days. Secondary endpoints were stenosis of the target lesions measured by duplex ultrasound (DUS) and the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) at discharge, 30 and 180 days as well as any major adverse event (MAE) through 6 months. Results The acute procedural success was achieved in 39/41 (95.12%) lesions, partially without wire guidance (11/41 (26.82%)). No embolic protection was used, and adjunctive angioplasty and stenting was performed in 40/41 (97.56%) and 12/41 (29.26%) lesions, respectively without device related MAE’s at 30 days. Mean level of stenosis was 5.7% at discharge and 21.7% at 6 months FU measured by DUS. Mean ABPI was 0.8, 1.0 and 0.8 at baseline, discharge, and 6 months FU respectively. Conclusions Based on the high technical success rate and the low rates of MAE`s through six months, the BYCROSS® Atherectomy System has shown to be safe and effective for the crossing and atherectomy of complex lower-extremity arterial occlusions. Trial registration October 17, 2018,retrospectively registered. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03724279; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03724279

Die Kooperation von Medizinern, Ingenieuren und anderen Naturwissenschaften bringt weiterhin effektive Produkte auf den Markt, die dazu geeignet sind, die Dominanz der endovaskulären Techniken im Bereich der peripheren arteriellen Verschlusskrankheit (pAVK) weiter auszubauen. Begleitend werden zunehmend bildgebende Verfahren weiterentwickelt oder neu entwickelt, die helfen können, die Strahlenbelastung für Patient und Anwender trotz wachsender Zahlen strahlenbasierter Therapieverfahren deutlich zu reduzieren. Mittlerweile haben wir ein Materialportfolio an der Hand, das es erlaubt, jede Gefäßregion endovaskulär zu behandeln. Auf der anderen Seite dürfte das endovaskuläre Leistungsgefüge nicht flächendeckend homogen gestaltet sein und die jeweilige Ergebnisqualität dann für die Chirurgie sprechen. In diesem Übersichtsartikel sollen neue Materialien und neuere Ergebnisse vorgestellt werden, die den Bereich der endovaskulären Behandlung der pAVK in allen Gefäßsegmenten mit beeinflussen dürften.

ZusammenfassungPopliteaaneurysmen zeigen die höchste Inzidenz peripherer Aneurysmen. Hierbei steht klinisch nicht die Ruptur, sondern die chronische Embolisation mit Ausbildung einer irreversiblen Ischämie und der damit assoziierten Amputation und Mortalität im Vordergrund. Mittlerweile ist die endovaskuläre Therapie als Alternative zum offen chirurgischen Vorgehen basierend auf verlässlichen Daten etabliert. Das im zerebralen Segment seit Langem angewandte, aber für die Gefäßperipherie wenig beachtete Prinzip der flussmodulierenden Stentsysteme zeigt auch im femoropoplitealen Gefäßsegment vielversprechende Ergebnisse und stellt den Grundsatz der kompletten endovaskulären Ausschaltung durch gecoverte Stents oder die Bypassumgehung des Aneurysmas infrage. Seit 2011 wurden 34 von 142 elektiven und 8 thrombosierte Popliteaaneurysmen mit einem für den Einsatz im arteriellen System zugelassenen gewobenen Nitinol-Stent versorgt und nachbeobachtet. In der hier beschriebenen monozentrischen Serie mit mittel- bis langfristiger Nachbeobachtung zeigte sich das Verfahren hinsichtlich der Aneurysmaausschaltung, der Offenheitsrate, der Materialermüdung und des Erhalts der Ausstrombahn mit der Option der Konversion mit den gängigen Methoden vergleichbar. Die Limitierung der Methode ist durch die maximalen Stentdurchmesser von 7,5 mm bedingt.

Objective: The current study aimed to determine the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and major 12-month outcomes for patients with in-hospital treatment for symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Methods: An analysis of the prospective longitudinal multicentric cohort study with 12-month follow-up was conducted including patients who underwent endovascular or open surgery for symptomatic PAOD at 35 German vascular centres (initial study protocol: NCT03098290). Severity of CKD was grouped into four stages combining information about the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline and dialysis dependency. Outcomes included overall mortality as well as the two composite endpoints of amputation or death, and of major cardiovascular events (MACE). 12-month incidences and adjusted hazard ratios were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier function and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: A total of 4354 patients (32% female, 69 years mean age, 68% intermittent claudication, 69% percutaneous endovascular revascularisation) were included and followed for 244 days in median. Thereof, 22% had any CKD and 5% had end stage kidney disease (ESKD) at baseline. The 12-month overall mortality rate was 3.6% (95% CI 2.3–4.9) with 96 events in the entire cohort: 147 were amputated or died (5.3%, 95% CI 5.2–5.3), and 277 had a MACE (9.5%, 95% CI 9.4–9.5). When compared with patients without kidney disease, ESKD was significantly associated with overall mortality (HR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1–3.5), amputation or death (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.4–4.1), and MACE (HR 2.0; 95% CI 1.3–3.2). Conclusions: In the current study on mid-term outcomes after invasive revascularisation for symptomatic PAOD, one out of five patients suffered from any CKD while those few with ESKD had twice the odds of death, of amputation or death, and of major adverse cardiovascular events after twelve months. These results emphasise that concomitant CKD and its impact on outcomes should be considered by severity while mild and moderate grades should not lead to ineffectual treatment strategies.

Im aortoiliakalen arteriellen Gefasabschnitt sind einerseits Stenose- und Verschlussprozesse und andererseits Aneurysmen die haufigsten Krankheitsbilder und daher in diesem Segment am meisten klinisch relevant. Neben der Arteriosklerose als Hauptursache einer Wanddegeneration, in deren Folge sowohl Verengungen als auch Erweiterungen der aortoiliakalen Strombahn auftreten konnen, mussen weitere, jedoch im Vergleich dazu seltene Erkrankungen mit einer moglichen Manifestation im aortoiliakalen Segment genannt werden. Hierzu zahlen die meist iatrogen entstandene Dissektion, entzundliche Arterienenerkrankungen wie die Takayasu-Arteriitis mit aortoiliakaler Manifestation, traumatische Lasionen, die Fibrose der Beckenarterien und als Raritat die zystische Adventitiadegeneration. Die Aneurysmen und Stenosen der Aorta abdominalis sind Gegenstand anderer Kapitel. Im Folgenden sollen daher vorrangig die arterielle Verschlusskrankheit und Aneurysmen der Beckenarterien mit oder ohne Beteiligung der Aorta hinsichtlich Klinik, Diagnostik und konventioneller gefaschirurgischer Therapiemethoden behandelt werden.

Popliteal aneurysms have the highest incidence of all peripheral aneurysms. The clinical symptoms are dominated by chronic embolism, resulting in irreversible ischemia with the associated risk of amputation and mortality, but rupture is less important. Acute aneurysm thrombosis bears a high risk of amputation and mortality. Endovascular exclusion with covered stents instead of open surgery has gained widespread acceptance and is based on reliable data. The principle of flow diversion for aneurysm treatment is well known for the cerebral vasculature, and is now emerging as a potential alternative with promising results and is challenging the concept of complete endovascular aneurysm exclusion or surgical bypassing. Since 2011, thirty-four out of 142 electively treated popliteal aneurysms and 8 thrombosed aneurysms were treated with a bare metal woven Nitinol stent. In this single centre series with continuous mid- to long-term follow-up, as described below, this option showed reliable results in terms of clinical outcome, material fatigue and preservation of outflow vasculature with the option for conversion. The limitation of the technique is determined by the available maximum outer stent diameter of 7.5 mm.Popliteaaneurysmen zeigen die höchste Inzidenz peripherer Aneurysmen. Hierbei steht klinisch nicht die Ruptur, sondern die chronische Embolisation mit Ausbildung einer irreversiblen Ischämie und der damit assoziierten Amputation und Mortalität im Vordergrund. Mittlerweile ist die endovaskuläre Therapie als Alternative zum offen chirurgischen Vorgehen basierend auf verlässlichen Daten etabliert. Das im zerebralen Segment seit Langem angewandte, aber für die Gefäßperipherie wenig beachtete Prinzip der flussmodulierenden Stentsysteme zeigt auch im femoropoplitealen Gefäßsegment vielversprechende Ergebnisse und stellt den Grundsatz der kompletten endovaskulären Ausschaltung durch gecoverte Stents oder die Bypassumgehung des Aneurysmas infrage. Seit 2011 wurden 34 von 142 elektiven und 8 thrombosierte Popliteaaneurysmen mit einem für den Einsatz im arteriellen System zugelassenen gewobenen Nitinol-Stent versorgt und nachbeobachtet. In der hier beschriebenen monozentrischen Serie mit mittel- bis langfristiger Nachbeobachtung zeigte sich das Verfahren hinsichtlich der Aneurysmaausschaltung, der Offenheitsrate, der Materialermüdung und des Erhalts der Ausstrombahn mit der Option der Konversion mit den gängigen Methoden vergleichbar. Die Limitierung der Methode ist durch die maximalen Stentdurchmesser von 7,5 mm bedingt.

Purpose This study sought to assess the performance of the LIFESTREAM balloon-expandable covered stent for the treatment of iliac artery atherosclerotic lesions. Methods A total of 155 patients were treated in a prospective, single-arm study at 17 centers in the United States, Europe, and New Zealand. The primary endpoint was a composite of device- or procedure-related death or myocardial infarction (MI) over the course of 30 days, or target lesion revascularization (TLR), major amputation of the target limb, or re-stenosis through 9-months. Secondary endpoints included primary patency, TLR, sustained clinical success, quality of life, and major adverse events (MAE). Results At 9 months, the primary composite endpoint rate was 16.2% (93.5% confidence interval [CI]: 10.6%–23.2%), primary patency was 89.1% (95% CI: 82.6%–93.7%), and freedom from TLR was 96%. There was a cumulative clinical improvement of at least one Rutherford category from baseline to 9 months of 90.5% (95% CI: 84.3%–94.9%). Quality of life, assessed by using the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ), demonstrated a mean change in total score from baseline through 9 months of 32.1 ± 26.84; overall, improvements were noted from baseline in each WIQ category. Seven of one-hundred fifty patients (4.7%; 95% CI: 1.9%–9.4%) experienced MAEs, but none were determined to be related to device or procedure. Conclusions The LIFESTREAM balloon-expandable covered stent provided satisfactory 9-month clinical outcomes including a low rate of target lesion revascularization for the treatment of stenotic and occlusive lesions of the iliac arteries.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and performance of the Treovance stent-graft. Methods: The global, multicenter RATIONALE registry ( ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier NCT03449875) prospectively enrolled 202 patients (mean age 73.0±7.8 years; 187 men) with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) suitable for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Treovance. The composite primary safety endpoint was site-reported all-cause mortality and major morbidity. The primary efficacy outcome was clinical success. Further outcomes evaluated included technical success; stent-graft migration, patency, and integrity; endoleak; and aneurysm size changes. Results: Technical success was 96% (194/202); 8 patients had unresolved type I endoleaks at the end of the procedure. There was no 30-day mortality and 1% major morbidity (1 myocardial infarction and 1 bowel ischemia). Clinical success at 1 year was confirmed in 194 (96%) patients; 6 of 8 patients had new/persistent endoleaks and 2 had aneurysm expansion without identified endoleak. A total of 8 (4%) reinterventions were required during the mean 13.7±3.1 months of follow-up (median 12.8). At 1 year, the Kaplan-Meier estimate for freedom from reintervention was 95.6% (95% CI 91.4% to 97.8%). Other estimates were 95.5% (95% CI 91.7% to 97.6%) for freedom from endoleak type I/III and 97.4% (95% CI 94.2% to 98.9%) for freedom from aneurysm expansion. Thirteen (6.4%) patients died; no death was aneurysm related. Conclusion: The RATIONALE registry showed favorable safety and clinical performance of the Treovance stent-graft for the treatment of infrarenal AAAs in a real-world setting.

Critical limb ischemia, the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease, results in extremity amputation if left untreated. Endovascular recanalization of stenotic or occluded infrapopliteal arteries has recently emerged as an effective form of therapy, although the duration of patency is typically limited by restenosis. Recently, it has been suggested that drug-eluting stents originally developed for the coronary arteries might also be effective in preventing restenosis in the infrapopliteal arteries. This prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial tested the hypothesis that treatment of infrapopliteal arterial occlusive lesions with an everolimus-eluting stent (Xience V) would provide superior patency to treatment with a bare-metal stent (Multi-Link Vision).A sample size of 140 patients was planned to be enrolled at five European investigative sites. The primary end point was arterial patency at 12 months, defined as the absence of ≥50% restenosis based on quantitative analysis of contrast angiography.Between March of 2008 and September of 2009, 74 patients were treated with Xience V and 66 patients were treated with Vision. After 12 months, the primary patency rate after treatment with Xience V was 85% compared with 54% after treatment with Vision (P = .0001). Treatment with Xience V significantly reduced mean in-stent diameter stenosis (21% ± 21% vs 47% ± 27%; P.0001) and mean in-stent late lumen loss (0.78 ± 0.63 vs 1.41 ± 0.89 mm; P = .001). There were no differences in the percentage of patients receiving a designation of Rutherford class 0 or 1 at the 12-month follow-up visit (56% for Vision, vs 60% for Xience V; P = .68). Major extremity amputations were rare in both groups (two for Vision and one for Xience V). The use of the Xience V stent significantly reduced the need for repeat intervention: freedom from target lesion revascularization was 91% for Xience V vs 66% for Vision (P = .001).Treatment of the infrapopliteal occlusive lesions of critical limb ischemia with everolimus-eluting stents reduces restenosis and the need for reintervention compared with bare metal stents.

To investigate the secondary procedures in patients with previous endovascular aortic repair by fenestrated or branched stent-grafts for aneurysms involving the renal and visceral vessels.Between January 2001 and May 2010, 107 consecutive high-risk patients (97 men; mean age 73 years, range 50-86) with aortic aneurysms involving the renal and visceral arteries were treated with endovascular techniques. A custom-made Zenith graft was used in all patients. All secondary graft-related procedures performed in the perioperative period and during follow-up were analyzed. Estimates of survival, freedom from migration/type I endoleak, and freedom from any device-related secondary procedures were assessed with Kaplan-Meier analyses.The 30-day mortality rate was 1.9%. During follow-up (mean 25 months, range 1-94), 34 secondary procedures were performed in 28 (26.2%) patients for 6 (17.6%) limb graft stenoses/thromboses (5.6% of 107 cases), 8 (23.5%) in-stent visceral vessel stenoses/occlusions (7.5% of 107 cases), 8 (23.5%) migrations/type I endoleaks with/without visceral stent fractures (7.5% of 107 cases), and 12 (35.3%) type III endoleaks (9.3% of 107 cases). The mean interval between the primary and secondary procedures was 12.9 months (range 1-68). In 26 (76.5%) of 34 cases, a secondary endovascular procedure was performed; in the remaining 8 (23.5%) cases, the complication was treated surgically. The secondary procedure was unsuccessful in 9 cases of visceral vessel compromise (failure to cannulation, stent fracture/migration, in-stent stenosis/occlusion). Estimated 3-year survival was 77%, while the 3-year rate for freedom from any device-related secondary procedure was 75.5%.The incidence of early and late complications requiring a secondary procedure after treatment with fenestrated or branched devices was not negligible. Endoleak type III represented the most common cause for reintervention during follow-up. Secondary procedures performed for visceral vessel compromise had high rates of treatment failure. Accurate preoperative planning, the advent of new materials/techniques, and strict follow-up could be the key factors to improving the results of fenestrated or branched stent-graft interventions and to reduce the rate of secondary procedures.

Purpose To assess preliminary results of the Endurant stent-graft, which was developed to treat patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and challenging aortoiliac anatomy. Materials and Methods From November 2007 to October 2008, 45 patients with AAAs were treated with the Endurant stent-graft in three European vascular centers. Thirty-eight of the 45 patients (84%) had a hostile anatomy of the proximal neck. Early (30 days), early midterm (6 months), and late midterm (1 year) results were analyzed in terms of technical success, clinical success, morbidity, and mortality. Results Intraoperative immediate technical and clinical success was achieved in all cases. At completion angiography, a type II endoleak was detected in seven of the 45 patients (16%) and an iliac limb stenosis was diagnosed and successfully treated in five (11%). At discharge, computed tomography demonstrated a type I endoleak in one of the 45 patients (2.2%). At 30 days, a graft limb thrombosis was diagnosed (2.2%) and successfully treated. The 30-day overall technical and clinical success rates were 97.8% (44/45 cases) and 95.6% (43/45 cases), respectively. During follow-up (mean duration, 8 months; range, 5–16 months), the type I endoleak was successfully treated with an aortic extension. Estimated freedom from type I or III endoleak and repeat intervention at 1 year was 97.8% (44/45 cases) and 93.3% (42/45 cases), respectively. Conclusions The initial experience shows that the Endurant stent-graft appears to be effective in endovascular repair of AAAs in patients with hostile aortoiliac anatomy. This graft permits a broader group of patients to be treated with endovascular aneurysm repair; however, further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term results.

To evaluate the feasibility of a new vascular endostapling system in treating infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms using commercially available endografts.Eight patients (6 men; mean age 71 years, range 59-82) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using Talent or Zenith stent-grafts and the Anson Refix clip, which provides transmural aortic fixation of the endoprosthesis with high pullout force proportional to the number of the clips deployed.Twenty (69%) of the 29 endostaples were successfully implanted and secured with the endostaple system; 9 clips that did not fully penetrate the graft and tissue due to severe calcification of the neck were retracted successfully into the delivery device. The delivery time from insertion of the Refix delivery catheter to its withdrawal was a mean 57 minutes (range 20-102) over and above the regular stent-graft procedure. Notably, the delivery time was reduced as the learning curve was passed: mean 89.75 minutes in the first 4 cases versus 27.5 minutes in the last 4. No endostaple migrated or was lost from the intended deployment site based on radiological imaging. No patients had evidence of perioperative endoleak based on computed tomography. No endograft-related complications have been documented during follow-up at 30 days.The initial experience established the safety and feasibility of EVAR using the Anson Refix endostapling system. However, further clinical evaluation is mandatory to draw robust conclusions about the utility of this new concept for fixation of aortic stent-grafts.

Intimal hyperplasia is a physiologic response to wall injury and represents the essential weak point of endovascular treatment. In the coronary segment, drug eluting stents (DES) have shown their effectiveness in suppressing this response and the transfer of this technique into the peripheral vasculature was mandatory, but the available data are conflictive and necessitate critical analysis. Peripheral DES related data from randomized or non randomized trials, published or presented, have been reviewed concerning the outcome in terms of "primary patency", "clinical benefit" and "limb salvage". Further inquiry was performed concerning data from material testing. The majority of study endpoints e.g. primary patency and freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR) comply with the coronary paradigm to prevent restenosis and the peripheral DES proved this concept on an individual basis. DES meta-analytical results remain inconclusive and could not reveal superiority of DES for clinical endpoints such as limb salvage or mortality. DES differ significantly in prevention of restenosis and occurrence of severe adverse events which does impede the clinical and economic evaluations. DES related data are conflicting and partially contradicting the widespread use of this technique. The positive effect of DES in terms of patency and freedom from TLR could not achieve an omnipresent clinical correlate. Technical challenges such as availability of appropriate device length, coating related material fatigue or particulate embolization and delayed intimalization remain an issue and mandate an individual evaluation within a blinded prospective randomized study to minimize bias.

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is considered one of the telltale signs of a terminal malignant process. We describe a successful endovascular desobliteration of a subtotal occluded SVC and the left innominate vein using a Y-stent technique in a 46-year-old female with a mediastinal nodal metastasis of a relapsing renal cell carcinoma. Complete clinical improvement in the symptoms within the first 24 hours of the procedure and no complication were observed. This report describes endovascular stenting of the SVC as a palliation therapy to overcome the severe clinical symptoms of SVCS besides surgical or chemotherapy in mediastinal malignancy masses.

PurposeTo evaluate the effectiveness of nitinol stent placement in long infrapopliteal lesions in patients with critical limb ischaemia.Materials and methodsBetween January 2005 and January 2008, 34 high-risk patients (18 female; mean age: 73.8±6.1 years) with critical limb ischaemia underwent infragenicular stenting. They had serious cardiovascular co-morbidities (>3, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure and coronary artery occlusive disease), American Society of Anaesthesiologists score of 3 or more, previous myocardial infarction, coronary stent or bypass. The mean stenosis length was 6.5±0.9cm (range: 2.2–8cm), and the mean occlusion length was 7.5±2.9cm (range: 3–9.6cm). Primary stent implantation was performed for long stenosis or occlusion based on the TransAtlantic InterSociety Consensus (TASC) C and D classification, secondary stenting for flow-limiting dissections or elastic recoil after balloon dilatation. All patients who returned to the outpatient clinic were assessed for claudication by clinical examination, ankle–brachial index (ABI) measurements, colour flow and duplex Doppler ultrasound (US). Digital subtraction angiography was performed if restenosis or re-occlusion was identified by Doppler US or transcutaneous measurement of partial oxygen pressure (TcpO2) measurements, when appropriate.ResultsThe technical success rate was 97.1% (33 of 34 cases). The crude rate of primary patency rate was 91.1% during a follow-up period of 10.4±7.3 months. The mean ankle–brachial index increased significantly following intervention (0.45±0.25–0.92±0.13, p70%) with relevant limitation of pain-free walking distance. In another patient, bypass surgery to the anterior tibial artery 6 months after primary intervention was necessary due to rest pain. Two patients required surgical revision of the femoral artery after antegrade access. No procedure-related death was recorded in the entire follow-up period.ConclusionsThe mid-term outcome underscores infrapopliteal stent placement as a reliable treatment option in patients with critical limb ischaemia. In patients at high risk for crural bypass, with no flow-limiting supragenicular lesions, below-knee stent-supported angioplasty should be considered as a first choice of treatment.

To describe a hybrid technique involving combined antegrade revascularization of both supra-aortic and visceral arteries and complete exclusion of a dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA).A 46-year-old man had a dissecting TAAA involving the left subclavian artery (LSA) and the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta down to the left common iliac artery. The ascending aorta was the only feasible source of inflow to the cerebral and visceral vessels. Via a median thoracolaparotomy, the supra-aortic and visceral arteries were dissected, and an octopus graft was implanted using 3 bifurcated Dacron grafts. An 18-x9-mm bifurcated Dacron graft was anastomosed in an end-to-side fashion to the ascending aorta, the brachiocephalic trunk, and the left common carotid artery. A 16-x8-mm bifurcated Dacron graft was sutured end-to-side to the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery. A third 12-x7-mm bifurcated graft was sutured to both renal arteries. In a second step, 3 tapered custom-made thoracic Zenith TX2 endografts were used to repair the thoracic and the thoracoabdominal aorta. A bifurcated Zenith AAA device was used to treat the aneurysm at the level of the infrarenal aorta and both iliac arteries. Despite covering the LSA and all intercostal and lumbar arteries, the patient developed only a temporary paresis of the left leg. Computed tomography showed complete exclusion of the aneurysm and normal flow to the supra-aortic and visceral arteries.In selected cases, this hybrid approach using the ascending aorta for antegrade revascularization of cerebral and visceral arteries is feasible, with acceptable perioperative morbidity. However, its role for the treatment of complex thoracoabdominal aortic disease must be evaluated further.

To evaluate safety and cost benefits of the percutaneous technique for treatment of aortic aneurysm, a prospective randomized study was performed that compared the endovascular suture technique with conventional cutdown access and repair.From January 2002 through July 2002, 30 endografts, including 14 Talent stent-grafts (Medtronic, Sunrise, Fla) and 16 Zenith endografts (Cook, Bloomington, Ind) were implanted in 30 patients for endovascular aneurysm treatment. The patients were randomized to either percutaneous technique (group A) or conventional cutdown (group B). Fifty-five femoral arteries were cannulated with large-bore (14F-25F) introducers and were included in the study. Safety and efficiency of both techniques were assessed by recording the complication rates, operation time, discharge, and time to ambulation. Comparison of selected estimated costs included both variable and fixed costs for femoral access and expenses for treatment of complications.No operative deaths occurred. The complication rates were similar and included 1 arterial thrombosis in each group, 3 lymphoceles in group B, and 1 conversion to cutdown because of bleeding in group A. Mean surgery time (86.7 +/- 27 minutes vs 107.8 +/- 38.5 minutes; P.05) and time to ambulation (20.1 +/- 4.3 hours vs 33.1 +/- 18.4 hours; P.001) were significantly shorter in the group treated percutaneously. Because of the cost of the closure device, total cost of the percutaneous technique averaged 99.2 euro; more than cutdown.The percutaneous technique decreases the invasiveness of endovascular therapy of aortic aneurysm and reduces operative time and time to ambulation. Complications were roughly equivalent in severity. The additional cost for the device appears to justify its use for this form of aneurysm treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate safety and cost benefits of the percutaneous technique for treatment of aortic aneurysm, a prospective randomized study was performed that compared the endovascular suture technique with conventional cutdown access and repair.Materials and Methods: From January 2002 through July 2002, 30 endografts, including 14 Talent stent-grafts (Medtronic, Sunrise, Fla) and 16 Zenith endografts (Cook, Bloomington, Ind) were implanted in 30 patients for endovascular aneurysm treatment. The patients were randomized to either percutaneous technique (group A) or conventional cutdown (group B). Fifty-five femoral arteries were cannulated with large-bore (14F-25F) introducers and were included in the study. Safety and efficiency of both techniques were assessed by recording the complication rates, operation time, discharge, and time to ambulation. Comparison of selected estimated costs included both variable and fixed costs for femoral access and expenses for treatment of complications.Results: No operative deaths occurred. The complication rates were similar and included 1 arterial thrombosis in each group, 3 lymphoceles in group B, and 1 conversion to cutdown because of bleeding in group A. Mean surgery time (86.7 ± 27 minutes vs 107.8 ± 38.5 minutes; P < .05) and time to ambulation (20.1 ± 4.3 hours vs 33.1 ± 18.4 hours; P < .001) were significantly shorter in the group treated percutaneously. Because of the cost of the closure device, total cost of the percutaneous technique averaged 99.2 € more than cutdown.Conclusions: The percutaneous technique decreases the invasiveness of endovascular therapy of aortic aneurysm and reduces operative time and time to ambulation. Complications were roughly equivalent in severity. The additional cost for the device appears to justify its use for this form of aneurysm treatment.