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Objectives: To study the safety and feasibility of the E-liac Stent Graft System® in patients with aorto/iliac aneurysms.Methods: A prospective multicentric European registry of patients receiving the E-liac Stent Graft System® was conducted. Endpoints of the study included the technical success as well as periprocedural events and 30-day endoleaks, reinterventions, internal and external iliac artery patency and mortality.Results: Between July 2014 and June 2016, a total of 45 patients (93% men, mean age 72 years, range 53-90 years) were enrolled at 11 sites in four European countries. Five patients received an isolated iliac treatment. Thirty-seven patients were treated with a combination of an abdominal stent graft and a unilateral E-liac and three in combination with bilateral E-liac. All E-liac Stent Grafts (48) were implanted in the intended position and the internal iliac arteries were successfully bridged. Two patients did not receive clinical success, due to endoleak type Ia of the aortic stent graft. At 30-day follow-up, clinical success rate was 96%. Three successful endovascular reinterventions were performed within the 30-day follow-up: one due to a type Ia endoleak in the common iliac artery, one due to type Ia endoleak of the aortic stent graft, and one due to bilateral lower limb claudication provoked by stent graft limb stenosis. At 30-day, a 100% survival rate and complete absence of pelvic or buttock ischemia/claudication were reported. Primary patency at 30 days was 100% for the internal iliac artery and 98% for the external iliac artery with an assisted patency of 100% in the latter.Conclusions: The high clinical success rate, low rates of device-related reinterventions (2%), and excellent patency rate demonstrate the safety and feasibility of the E-liac Stent Graft System. Long-term results are awaited to state efficacy and durability. Clinical Trials.gov. Identifier no. NCT02209194. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our department with recent onset of chest pain. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed an acute aortic syndrome manifested by a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer and contained rupture at the level of origin of an aberrant right subclavian artery. A combined vascular and endovascular approach was selected. The entire arch was rerouted, a reversed bifurcated Dacron prosthesis was placed, and a bypass was created between the right common carotid artery and the lusorian artery, followed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The clinical course was uneventful. The CT scan obtained after the procedure revealed regular supra-aortic perfusion and complete exclusion of the complex lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: Aortic stent-graft infection (SGI) entails a high mortality. Alirocumab is a monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), approved for treatment of therapy-refractory hypercholesterolemia. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 might play a role in infections. Case report: A 68-year-old male suffered from fatigue, fever, and back pain. Twelve months previously, a 4-fold-fenestrated aortic endoprosthesis was implanted because of an aortic aneurysm. Four months later, alirocumab 150 mg was initiated. Staphylococcus aureus grew in several blood cultures, and he received cefazolin and fosfomycin. Fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography indicated an infected endoprosthesis. Puncture of the periprosthetic space under antibiotic therapy revealed different strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis. The therapy was changed to dalbavancin. The patient died suddenly 11 days later after complaining about back pain for several days. No autopsy was carried out. Conclusions: The most probable cause of the patient's recurrent bacteremia with S aureus was an infection of the aortic prosthesis. Although this report is very speculative, it can be concluded that data about infections in patients under PCSK9 inhibitors should be collected systematically and more research is needed about the biological consequences of decreasing cholesterol to extreme low levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aortic stent-graft infection (SGI) entails a high mortality. Alirocumab is a monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), approved for treatment of therapy-refractory hypercholesterolemia. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 might play a role in infections. Case report: A 68-year-old male suffered from fatigue, fever, and back pain. Twelve months previously, a 4-fold-fenestrated aortic endoprosthesis was implanted because of an aortic aneurysm. Four months later, alirocumab 150 mg was initiated. Staphylococcus aureus grew in several blood cultures, and he received cefazolin and fosfomycin. Fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography indicated an infected endoprosthesis. Puncture of the periprosthetic space under antibiotic therapy revealed different strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis. The therapy was changed to dalbavancin. The patient died suddenly 11 days later after complaining about back pain for several days. No autopsy was carried out. Conclusions: The most probable cause of the patient's recurrent bacteremia with S aureus was an infection of the aortic prosthesis. Although this report is very speculative, it can be concluded that data about infections in patients under PCSK9 inhibitors should be collected systematically and more research is needed about the biological consequences of decreasing cholesterol to extreme low levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]