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Purpose: To present a bailout technique for bridging covered stent placement during branched endovascular aortic repair (BEVAR) in complex anatomy., Technique: BEVAR is an alternative technique for the treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs). Visceral and renal vessels must be preserved by bridging covered stent placement through downward-oriented branches of the main stent graft device. Challenging anatomy such as kinking and elongation of the aorta, or type III aortic arch configuration may impede successful catheterization of these branches due to reduced steerability and pushability of the endovascular material. Different alternative techniques have been described to overcome these anatomic barriers. This technical note adds another endovascular solution to complex cases using the guiding sheath stabilizing technique. It is based on a standard "through-and-through" technique. An attached snare is inserted via femoral approach, providing a stable position for branch catheterization and bridging covered stent deployment., Conclusion: The stabilizing technique is safe and easy to perform and provides a stable position of the guiding sheath when antegrade branch catheterization is challenging. This technique is an additional tool for handling challenging cases.

Purpose: To report long-term outcome when using a bifurcated aortic endograft for treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) in Trans Atlantic Inter Society Consensus (TASC) classification C and D patients., Materials and Methods: Between May 2001 and May 2009, 14 patients (11 men, 3 women) with aortoiliac TASC C and D type lesions and a mean age of 59 years ± 10 (range 41-73 years) were treated using a bifurcated aortic endograft. Although these patients were young, all were considered at high surgical risk. Patients were followed up clinically and by computed tomography (CT) every 3 months for 1 year and yearly thereafter., Results: Endoprosthesis placement was performed in all patients with a technical success rate of 100%. There were no amputations or deaths at 30 days after the procedure. The mean follow-up was 62 months (range 11-96 months). One patient was lost during follow-up at 11 months, and another patient died of a nonrelated cause after 49 months. A single limb occlusion of the prosthesis was seen in two patients at 2 months and 7 months; both were successfully treated by intraarterial fibrinolysis. At a mean follow-up of 62 months, primary patency was 85.7%, and secondary patency was 100%., Conclusions: This series shows promising long-term results following the use of a bifurcated aortic endograft for treatment of AIOD TASC C and D type lesions. Bifurcated aortic endograft is a good minimally invasive alternative to open surgery in high surgical risk patients., (Copyright © 2011 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of endovascular repair in the treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysm (IAA) using Excluder bifurcated endograft. Eight consecutive patients with IAA were treated during a period of 45 months using Excluder bifurcated endograft. Two patients presented with isolated IAA rupture and were treated emergently, whereas the other six patients underwent elective treatment. All aneurysms lacked sufficient proximal necks and therefore were not suitable for tubular-shaped endograft. Follow-up imaging was performed at 1 week, at every 3 months during the first year, semiannually until 2 years, and annually afterward using angio-computed axial tomography and plain films. Technical success was achieved in all patients. No mortality was seen despite two patients having IAA rupture. Follow-up (12 to 60 months) was done in all but one patient. During this period, complications were observed in three patients. One patient developed sexual impotence at 3-month follow up; one patient presented unilateral gluteal claudication after the procedure, which resolved at 3 months; and one patient developed a graft porosity-related endoleak, which was successfully managed with placement of an additional ipsilateral iliac extension. Endovascular treatment of isolated IAA using bifurcated endograft is safe and can be an alternative to surgical treatment. The benefits from decreased morbidity and mortality of endoluminal treatment of isolated IAA using bifurcated endograft outweigh the minor complications associated with this technique, which are mostly related to occlusion of hypogastric arteries.

Aneurysms of the extracranial internal carotid artery (EICA) are infrequent. They are difficult to treat with conventional surgery because of their distal extension into the skull base. We report three cases of EICA aneurysms in two symptomatic patients successfully treated with polytetrafluoroethylene self-expanding endografts using an endovascular approach. The aneurysms were located distal to the carotid bifurcation and extended to the subpetrous portion of the internal carotid artery.

Purpose: Endovascular treatment of aortoiliac aneurysms near or involving the hypogastric artery (HGA) requires HGA occlusion before endografting to avoid retrograde filling of the aneurysm. The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes of bilateral HGA occlusion and determine if benefits gained by endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) outweigh the morbidity associated with the procedure., Materials and Methods: Between 1999 and 2004, 128 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) were treated with bifurcated endograft placement. Bilateral coverage or embolization of HGAs was performed in 14 patients (10.9%). Embolization was achieved by deployment of coils and coverage was accomplished by extending the endoprosthesis into the external iliac artery. Clinical follow-up and computed tomographic angiography were performed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and annually thereafter to detect potential aneurysm growth and endoleaks., Results: During follow-up (range, 1-72 months), buttock claudication was noted in four patients (28.6%), including unilateral claudication in two and bilateral claudication in two. One patient experienced claudication longer than 12 months, which resolved within 18 months. De novo erectile dysfunction was seen in one patient, and pelvic ischemia was not found in any patient. There was no evidence of endoleak, aneurysm enlargement, or death associated with HGA occlusion., Conclusions: In our series, complications of bilateral HGA occlusion before EVAR were moderate and resolved over time. The benefits gained from EVAR outweigh the clinical problems caused by bilateral HGA occlusion, as there are no technical complications added to the EVAR procedure.