TEVAR and covering the celiac artery. Is it safe or not?

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is the treatment of choice for descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA). However, not all patients with TAA can be treated with the endovascular technique. Insufficient proximal and/or distal sealing zone is the most common reason for open surgery in these patients. If the distal sealing zone above the celiac axis is too short, several endovascular alternatives are possible; hybrid procedures with TEVAR and open by-pass to the celiac artery, custom made stent-grafts with scallop or fenestration for the celiac artery, or intentional coverage of the celiac artery. In the latter case, adequate collateral supply to the upper gastrointestinal tract is crucial. Collateral arteries joining the celiac and the superior mesenteric arteries are well characterized in patients with chronic celiac stenosis or occlusion. Are these collateral pathways sufficient also for sudden iatrogenic closure of the celiac artery? By performing a preoperative angiography of the superior mesenteric artery with temporary balloon occlusion of the celiac artery, collateral capacity between the two vessels can be tested in advance. Exact positioning of the distal end of a large thoracic stent-graft can be challenging and require special considerations and techniques. Most case series in the literature support the efficacy and the safety of intentional celiac covering. However, there are also reports of ischemic foregut complications that could be associated to the procedure. Taken together, in the large majority of patients, it appears that intentional celiac coverage can be done safely provided that sufficient collateral function have been demonstrated in advance.