Aortomonoiliac stent-grafts for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: association with iliofemoral crossover grafts.

PURPOSE: To analyze the outcome of endovascular exclusion of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) using aortomonoiliac stent-grafts.

METHODS

Fifty-seven consecutive patients (49 men; median age 70, range 56-89) with AAA >5 cm were treated in a 6-year period with the conical ELLA stent-graft. Forty-two (73.9%) patients were classified ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) IV and 6 as ASA V. In the majority of cases, the implantation procedure featured device delivery through the external iliac artery, transrenal placement of a bare stent in selected cases, and an iliofemoral crossover graft through a prevesical tunnel.

RESULTS

Successful deployment was achieved in 56 (98.2%) patients. Mean time to discharge was 8.7 days (range 2-125). Two patients died in the 30-day period. Nine endoleaks occurred in 8 (14%) patients; 4 required further intervention. Mean follow-up was 35.3 months (range 1-66), during which 5 patients died from unrelated causes. No late endoleak, graft occlusion, device twisting/migration, or aneurysm rupture was observed. No correlation between type I endoleaks and unfavorable proximal neck or iliac artery anatomical characteristics could be found. Primary technical and clinical success rates were 86.0% and 94.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this approach, the crossover graft remains in a retropubic space and consequently does not have all the disadvantages of a subcutaneously placed prosthesis. The results achieved in this group of high-risk patients support recommendation of this technique as a simple and safe alternative to bifurcated systems.