BACKGROUND: Modification of endografts are required to simplify and improve the safety of the endovascular management of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a new custom-made, tubular and bifurcated device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The graft consisted of a continuous, self-expanding, stainless steel, Z-stent structure, covered with a thin wall PTFE tube. Bifurcated grafts were constructed in vivo from three PTFE tubes with a continuous Z-stent structure. Twenty-seven high risk patients with a mean age of 74 (62-86) years and AAA, mean diameter 5.9 cm, were treated in the last 26 months. Tube grafts were deployed in 13 aortic and one iliac cases, bifurcated grafts in nine cases and aorto-uni-iliac grafts with femorofemoral bypass in four cases. Grafts were deployed percutaneously under local anaesthesia. Patients were followed with contrast CT periodically. RESULTS: All grafts were deployed. There were no open conversions or other major complications. There were nine proximal and one distal postoperative endoleak. Four sealed spontaneously, three were treated successfully with endovascular techniques and three are under surveillance. In the 7 (2-23) months follow-up, one patient died due to heart failure 3 months post-procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Local anaesthesia and percutaneous graft introduction simplify and improve the efficacy of the procedure. Continuous aortic graft support provides stability and reduces the risk of migration. PTFE is a flexible, low-profile material for use in endovascular stent-grafts. The bifurcation concept used offers a simple technique for bifurcated grafts.
BACKGROUND: Modification of endografts are required to simplify and improve the safety of the endovascular management of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a new custom-made, tubular and bifurcated device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The graft consisted of a continuous, self-expanding, stainless steel, Z-stent structure, covered with a thin wall PTFE tube. Bifurcated grafts were constructed in vivo from three PTFE tubes with a continuous Z-stent structure. Twenty-seven high risk patients with a mean age of 74 (62-86) years and AAA, mean diameter 5.9 cm, were treated in the last 26 months. Tube grafts were deployed in 13 aortic and one iliac cases, bifurcated grafts in nine cases and aorto-uni-iliac grafts with femorofemoral bypass in four cases. Grafts were deployed percutaneously under local anaesthesia. Patients were followed with contrast CT periodically. RESULTS: All grafts were deployed. There were no open conversions or other major complications. There were nine proximal and one distal postoperative endoleak. Four sealed spontaneously, three were treated successfully with endovascular techniques and three are under surveillance. In the 7 (2-23) months follow-up, one patient died due to heart failure 3 months post-procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Local anaesthesia and percutaneous graft introduction simplify and improve the efficacy of the procedure. Continuous aortic graft support provides stability and reduces the risk of migration. PTFE is a flexible, low-profile material for use in endovascular stent-grafts. The bifurcation concept used offers a simple technique for bifurcated grafts.