INTRODUCTION: We aimed to report our experience with the Anaconda™ stent graft (Vascutek, Terumo, Inchinnan, Scotland, UK) for the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). METHODS: The vascular unit database was interrogated to identify all AAA patients who underwent endovascular repair with the Anaconda™ device between March 2007 and June 2014. The peri-operative, short-term, and mid-term outcome was recorded focusing on complications and re-interventions. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients had been treated during the study period. Seven of these were symptomatic, one presented with an inflammatory aneurysm, and five presented with a ruptured AAA. The primary and the assisted primary technical success were 86.7 and 97.1%, respectively. There was no 30-day mortality in the elective or symptomatic group, but two of the ruptured AAA patients died. During a mean follow-up of 29 months (range 1-87), 14 patients died, none from aneurysm-related causes. A total of 11 endoleaks (17.5%) were detected in 10 patients during follow-up (1 type Ia, 4 type Ib, 6 type II), 4 of which required re-intervention (all for type Ib endoleak). Two iliac limbs occluded during the follow-up. The estimated overall survival, endoleak-free survival and re-intervention-free survival probability were 88.2, 78.4, and 83.4% at 1 year; 85.9, 73.8, and 78.9% at 2 years; and 80.6, 71.3, and 70.5% at 3 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on this series, the Anaconda™ stent graft appears to be safe and effective for the endovascular treatment of AAAs. Both the short-term and the mid-term results are satisfactory.
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to report our experience with the Anaconda™ stent graft (Vascutek, Terumo, Inchinnan, Scotland, UK) for the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). METHODS: The vascular unit database was interrogated to identify all AAA patients who underwent endovascular repair with the Anaconda™ device between March 2007 and June 2014. The peri-operative, short-term, and mid-term outcome was recorded focusing on complications and re-interventions. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients had been treated during the study period. Seven of these were symptomatic, one presented with an inflammatory aneurysm, and five presented with a ruptured AAA. The primary and the assisted primary technical success were 86.7 and 97.1%, respectively. There was no 30-day mortality in the elective or symptomatic group, but two of the ruptured AAA patients died. During a mean follow-up of 29 months (range 1-87), 14 patients died, none from aneurysm-related causes. A total of 11 endoleaks (17.5%) were detected in 10 patients during follow-up (1 type Ia, 4 type Ib, 6 type II), 4 of which required re-intervention (all for type Ib endoleak). Two iliac limbs occluded during the follow-up. The estimated overall survival, endoleak-free survival and re-intervention-free survival probability were 88.2, 78.4, and 83.4% at 1 year; 85.9, 73.8, and 78.9% at 2 years; and 80.6, 71.3, and 70.5% at 3 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on this series, the Anaconda™ stent graft appears to be safe and effective for the endovascular treatment of AAAs. Both the short-term and the mid-term results are satisfactory.