Abstract
Objective: Despite well-documented good early results and benefits
of endoluminal stent graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (J
Vasc Surg 2002;35:1137-44.)(AAA), the long-term outcome of this method
of treatment remains uncertain. In particular, concern exists that
late effectiveness and durability are inferior to that of open repair.
To determine the incidence and causes of clinical failures of endovascular
AAA repair, a 7-year experience with 362 primary AAA endografts was
reviewed. Methods: Clinical failures were defined as deaths within
30 days of the procedure, conversions (early and late) to open AAA
repair, AAA rupture after endoluminal treatment, or AAA sac growth
of more than 5 mm in maximal diameter despite endograft repair. Endoleak
status per se was not considered unless it resulted in an adverse
event. If clinical problems arose but could be corrected with catheter-based
therapies or limited surgical procedures, thereby maintaining the
integrity of successful stent graft treatment of the AAA, such cases
were considered as primary assisted success and not classified as
clinical failures. Results: The average follow-up period was 1.5
years. Six deaths (1.6%) occurred after the procedure, all in elderly
patients or patients at high risk. Five patients (1.4%) needed early
conversion (immediate, 2 days) to open repair for access problems
or technical difficulties with deployment, resulting in an implantation
success rate of 98.6%. Eight patients (2.2%) underwent late conversion
for a variety of problems, including AAA expansion (n = 4), endograft
thrombosis (n = 1), secondary graft infection (n = 2), and rupture
at 3 years (n = 1). Rupture occurred in an additional two patients
for a total incidence rate of 0.8%. AAA sac growth of greater than
5 mm was observed in 20 patients (5.6%), four of whom have undergone
successful catheter-based treatments to date. Overall, 39 patients
(10.7%) needed catheter-based (n = 45) or limited surgical (n = 4)
reinterventions for a variety of late problems that were successful
in 92%. Conclusion: In our 7-year experience, one or more clinical
failures of endovascular AAA repair were observed in 31 patients
(8.3%). Reinterventions were necessitated in a total of 10.7% of
patients but were usually successful in maintaining AAA exclusion
and limiting AAA growth. These results emphasize that endovascular
repair provides good results and many benefits for most properly
selected patients but is not as durable as standard open repair
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