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Background Endovascular treatment (EVT) using the common femoral artery (CFA) for access after endarterectomy (EA) may result in sheath insertion difficulties because of subcutaneous scar tissue, as well as difficulties with hemostasis. We evaluated the safety of CFA access and the ease of sheath insertion over time after EA. Method We included 19 patients (21 limbs, 40 cases) in whom the CFA was used after EA with autologous repair as an access route in EVT for peripheral arterial disease in our institution from January 2013 to December 2020. Nine limbs underwent simple closure repair and 12 underwent autologous patch repair. Difficult sheath insertions were defined as those in which additional devices (stiff guidewire or a smaller diameter sheath for dilation) were used for scheduled sheath insertion. The inability to insert a sheath with the scheduled diameter was defined as a failed sheath insertion. We evaluated the EVT timing after EA for difficult sheath insertions, and whether the CFA was repaired with simple closure or autologous patch repair during EA surgery. Results There were 10 (25%) difficult sheath insertions, with one (2.5%) failure. The rate of difficult sheath insertions peaked from 6 months to 1 year after EA and gradually decreased (47% from 6 months to 3 years, 14% thereafter). There were more statistically significant difficult sheath insertions with simple closure repair (50%) than with autologous patch repair (12%) (P = 0.018). Hemostasis devices were used in 90% of EVT cases. The median maximum sheath diameter was 6 Fr (mean = 5.8 Fr). None of the cases required surgical procedures to achieve hemostasis after EVT. Conclusion EVT may be performed safely using the CFA after EA. The difficulty of sheath insertion may differ depending on the EVT timing after EA; it was more difficult with simple closure than with autologous patch repair, possibly related to scar formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juxtarenal aortic aneurysms (JRAAs) are challenging to treat by endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedures. The chimney technique with EVAR (Ch-EVAR) is one of the feasible and less invasive treatments for JRAAs. However, the main concern of Ch-EVAR is the potential risk of “gutters,” which can lead to type Ia endoleak (EL). Most type Ia ELs after Ch-EVAR procedures occurred intraoperatively, and these ELs could be treated using an endovascular technique. However, late-onset type Ia ELs could be extremely rare, which might have a fear of conservative treatment. Type Ia ELs are associated with an increased risk of aneurysm rupture; therefore reintervention is recommended as soon as possible, and we should be aware of the occurrence of type Ia ELs after the Ch-EVAR procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was performed to compare endovascular repair with conventional open repair of isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients who underwent repair of isolated IAAs between January 2008 and June 2012. Patients with infected, mycotic and ruptured iliac aneurysms and those with concurrent infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms greater than 30 mm in diameter were excluded from this analysis. Results: A total of 32 patients were treated with isolated IAAs. There were 20 open and 12 endovascular repairs. A comparison of the length of the operation (238 ± 84 min in the open group vs 176 ± 72 min in the endovascular group, P = 0.03) and intraoperative blood loss (1,735 ± 1,177 ml in the open group vs 503 ± 711 ml in the endovascular group, P = 0.01), revealed significant differences in favor of the endovascular procedure. Postoperative complications were less common in the endovascular group, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: The management of isolated IAAs with both endovascular and open repair can be accomplished with very low morbidity rates. Therefore, endovascular repair can be considered an alternative treatment for isolated IAAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The treatment guidelines for isolated superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection have not been established. We assessed 14 cases of SMA dissection and reviewed the literature on this entity. Methods: The subjects were 11 men and 3 women (average age 64 years), with SMA dissection diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan or digital subtraction angiography, between 2001 and 2009, at our institution. Eight patients presented with symptoms such as abdominal pain, but SMA dissection was diagnosed incidentally during investigations of another illness in six patients. Thirteen patients were treated conservatively with anticoagulation and/or antiplatelet drugs, but one underwent exploratory laparotomy. The median follow-up period was 22 months. Result: The symptoms did not worsen, and ultimately resolved in the eight patients who had symptoms. Isolated dissection improved dramatically in two of the six patients with obstruction of the false lumen and was not seen on computed tomography (CT) scans 1 and 3 months after its onset. Conclusion: We recommend conservative treatment as the first choice for isolated SMA dissection, even if the patient has abdominal pain and tenderness, given that there are no signs of peritonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and histological response of laparoscopic external aortic wrap implantation in conjunction with an endovascular stent/stent-graft placement in the infrarenal aorta in a porcine model. Methods: Seven swine underwent laparoscopic retroperitoneal placement of a custom-made Dacron fabric wrap placed around the infrarenal aorta to create a landing zone for an endovascularly placed aortic stent/stent-graft. Results: Technical success was achieved in all animals without any major complications. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 4 weeks. At necropsy, the external wraps were well incorporated into the adventitia, and the stents/stent-grafts were well incorporated into the intima. Small patches of medial necrosis of the aortic wall were observed in one animal in the stent model and in two animals in the stent-graft model. There was no transmural necrosis observed. Conclusions: This adjunct technique, an external wrap around the infrarenal aorta combined with endovascular grafting, is feasible and deserves further studies into how it may be used to facilitate endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms. Clinical Relevance: We hypothesize that our new device could provide capability of altering the proximal neck morphology of abdominal aortic aneurysm and reinforcement to the aortic wall. This, in turn, could improve eligibility for endovascular aneurysm repair and prevent or treat type I endoleak and graft migration. Future investigations will involve evaluation of the long-term effect of the external aortic wrap on the integrity of the aortic wall in an animal model and testing the clinical usefulness of this new technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]