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Management of lower extremity arterial disease with endovascular intervention is on the rise. Current practice patterns vary widely across and within specialty practices that perform endovascular intervention. This study evaluated reimbursement and costs of different approaches for offering endovascular intervention and identified strategies to improve cost-efficiency.The medical records of all patients admitted to a university health system during 2005 for an endovascular intervention were retrospectively reviewed. Procedure type, setting, admission status, and financial data were recorded. Groups were compared using analysis of variance, Student t test for independent samples, and chi2.A total of 296 endovascular interventions were completed, and 184 (62%) met inclusion criteria. Atherectomy and stenting were significantly more costly when performed in the operating room than in the radiology suite: atherectomy, dollars 6596 vs dollars 4867 (P = .002); stent, dollars 5884 vs dollars 3292, (P.001); angioplasty, dollars 2251 vs dollars 1881 (P = .46). Reimbursement was significantly higher for inpatient vs ambulatory admissions (P.001). Costs were lowest when the endovascular intervention was done in the radiology suite on an ambulatory basis and highest when done as an inpatient in the operating room (dollars 5714 vs dollars 12,278; P.001). Contribution margins were significantly higher for inpatients. Net profit was appreciated only for interventions done as an inpatient in the radiology suite. Reimbursement, contribution margins, and net profit were significantly lower among private pay patients in both the ambulatory and inpatient setting. The 30-day hospital readmission after ambulatory procedures was seven patients (6%).Practice patterns for endovascular interventions differ considerably. Costs vary by procedure and setting, and reimbursement depends on admission status and accurate documentation; these dynamics affect affordability. Organizing vascular services within a hub will ensure that care is delivered in the most cost-efficient manner. Guidelines may include designating the radiology suite as the primary venue for endovascular interventions because it is less costly than the operating room. Selective stenting policies should be considered. Contracts with private insurers must include carve-outs for stent costs and commensurate reimbursement for ambulatory procedures, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT; American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill) coding must be proficient to make ambulatory endovascular interventions fiscally acceptable.

PurposeThe American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification remains the most widely used risk-stratification system in the world. However, it is not practical in patients undergoing revascularization procedures because most are classified as ASA III. We hypothesized that ASA III patients can be subdivided into two subgroups, ASA IIIA and ASA IIIB, simply based on their preoperative functional capacity measured in metabolic equivalents (METS) of 1.5 mg/dL), critical limb ischemia, and length of stay were significantly higher in ASA IIIB than IIIA patients. Significantly more myocardial infarctions and deaths occurred in IIIB than in IIIA patients. The overall survival rate was significantly better in ASA IIIA than in ASA IIIB patients. A univariate Cox proportional model identified coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), renal insufficiency, hypercholesterolemia, presence of critical limb ischemia, and preoperative albumin level of

Background For patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), depression is associated with worse patency and recurrent symptoms in the treated leg, but its association with death or cardiovascular events in other vascular beds is unknown.

ObjectiveEndovascular repair (EVAR) has been increasingly used for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs), especially in major academic centers. The goal of this article is to report our results with an EVAR-first approach for rAAA which we adopted in 2001 in our community hospital.MethodsAll consecutive patients who underwent attempted repair for rAAA between February 2001 and July 2006 were analyzed. Only patients with computed tomographic or visual verification of extraluminal blood were included.ResultsA total of 40 patients (30 men; mean age, 76.4 ± 7.2 years; range, 57-89 years) presented with rAAA. Thirty patients underwent attempted EVAR for rAAA, constituting 4.1% of all EVAR cases (n = 738), and 10 patients had attempted open repair. Twenty-one (53%) were transferred from another institution. Computed tomography was performed in 97.5%. On arrival to the emergency department, 43%% were hypotensive (systolic blood pressure

The endovascular treatment of patients with bulky iliofemoral occlusions usually requires a femoral endarterectomy, coupled with iliac recanalization. This requires crossing the occlusions with a guidewire, which is usually attempted in a retrograde fashion. If this fails, then a surgical inflow procedure is necessary. Antegrade crossing of an iliac occlusion either from the contralateral femoral or transbrachial approach and retrieval of the guidewire during the ensuing femoral endarterectomy obviates the need for luminal reentry, ensures inflow by endovascular recanalization of the iliac artery, and avoids the need for surgical bypass. This underused technique should be considered in such situations, and its details are described.

Objectives Depression is associated with worse outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery, but its association with the results after revascularization for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is unknown. This study assessed the association between depression and patency, recurrent symptoms, and limb salvage after revascularization for symptomatic PAD. Methods Electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed for all patients with symptomatic PAD who underwent intervention (open, endovascular, or combined) between January 2000 and October 2004. All patients were previously screened for depression, and treatment was initiated as indicated by the primary care physician or psychiatrist. Demographic data and outcomes were recorded using published guidelines. Outcomes of interest included primary patency of the revascularization (bypass graft or angioplasty/stented artery), assisted primary patency, secondary patency, recurrent symptomatic ipsilateral PAD, and major amputation. Follow-up was available for all patients (mean, 23.4 ± 14.1 months). Results Board-certified vascular surgeons performed all interventions. At the time of intervention, 78 (36.1%) of 216 patients had been diagnosed with depression. Compared with those without depression, depressed patients were younger (64.4 vs 69.1 years; P = .001), currently using tobacco (74.4% vs 51.4%; P = .001), and less likely to have hypertension (79.5% vs 89.9%; P = .03). No other significant differences were noted for cardiovascular risk factors or prevalent comorbidities. During follow-up, 50 patients (23.1%) had failing or failed revascularizations, and 24 (11%) had amputations. Those with depression at the time of the PAD intervention, compared at 24 months with patients without depression, had significantly worse primary patency (58.2% vs 79.8%; P = .02), primary assisted patency (59.5% vs 81.5%; P = .01), and secondary patency (60.2% vs 82.2%; P = .007). They also had a significantly increased risk of recurrent symptomatic PAD (33.7% vs 20.8%; P = .03) but not major amputation (13.8% vs 10.4%; P = .73). By multivariate analysis, patients with depression were at significantly increased risk for recurrent symptomatic PAD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 3.02; P = .04) and failure of revascularization (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.88; P Conclusions Depression is common among patients undergoing intervention for symptomatic PAD. After intervention, patients with depression have worse outcomes for the affected leg. Prospective analysis is required to confirm these results.

The functional capacity to perform the activities of daily living is identified as an independent predictor of perioperative mortality but is not formally incorporated in the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Our primary objective was to assess whether functional capacity is an independent predictor of 30-day and long-term mortality in a general population and, if so, to define how it may formally be incorporated into the routine preoperative ASA classification assessment.This retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted using 1998 to 2009 data extracted from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program of Western New York, a perioperative prospectively maintained database. Mortality follow-up was performed for all records in 2013. This population-based sample included all patients undergoing any noncardiac surgery (n = 12,324). Each patient's ASA class (assigned preoperatively) was appended with subclasses A or B, with A representing patients who were functionally independent and B representing partially or fully dependent patients. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during the follow-up period. Secondary outcomes included 30-day postoperative complications and mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for mortality.The likelihood for mortality was significantly lower for A patients than B patients within each ASA class. The odds ratios for mortality for group A patients significantly favored survival over group B within each ASA class (0.14, 0.29, and 0.50, for ASA class II, III, and IV, respectively, each P0.0001). The odds ratio for mortality of IIB over IIIA patients was 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-3.11; P = 0.01); 1.29 (95% CI, 1.04-1.60; P = 0.03) for IIIB over IVA patients; and 2.03 (95% CI, 0.99-4.12, P=0.11) for IVB over ASA V patients, despite each higher class carrying a greater disease burden, by definition. The area under the curve the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.811 ± 0.010 for traditional ASA classification in predicting death within 30 days, which improved 4.7% to 0.848 ± 0.008 using the modified ASA classification, P0.00001.Functional capacity was an independent predictor of mortality within each ASA class, indicating that it should be considered for incorporation into the routine preoperative evaluation. Functional dependence may be an indication for increasing a patient's ASA class by 1 class-point to better reflect his or her perioperative risk, but prospective validation of these findings is recommended, as this is a preliminary study.

Purpose To present our technique of pre-arteriotomy guidewire access (PAGA). Summary Placement of a guidewire across inflow lesions before performing the arteriotomy during combined endovascular/open procedures while treating patients with complex iliofemoral occlusive disease is a crucial maneouvre. We routinely utilize this approach in patients in whom endarterectomy and/or patch angioplasty is planned as the central part of the revascularization procedure, or when we find an unsuspected severely diseased EIA in a patient undergoing leg revascularization.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential feasibility and financial impact of same-day discharge after elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm.All elective EVARs performed between January 2012 and June 2013 were identified. Demographics, comorbidities, complications, nursing care, financial data, and length of stay were analyzed.Sixty-seven (73%) EVARs were performed electively, 73% percutaneously. Intraoperative complications were blood loss requiring transfusion (4.5%), thrombosis (3%), femoral artery injury (1.5%), postoperative urinary retention (4.5%), myocardial infarction (3%), respiratory failure (1.5%), congestive heart failure (1.5%), and hemodynamic or rhythm alterations (37%; evident in 88%6 hours; 13% required therapy). Monitoring only was needed in 28 patients (42%), intensive care in 15%. Seventy-two percent were discharged on postoperative day one; 6% were readmitted30 days. Telemetry, oxygen, intravenous hydration, and urinary catheters (routine services) were used for shorter periods in uncomplicated patients and those discharged on postoperative day 1. Total hospital costs were $29,479: operating room, 80.3%; anesthesia, 2.2%; preadmission, 1%; postanesthesia unit, 3.1%; intensive care unit, 1.9%; floor, 4.7%; laboratory and diagnostic tests, 1.2%; pharmacy, 1.4%; other, 4.2%. Total cost was similar for those discharged20 hours or ≥24 to 31 hours postoperatively (P = .51) and for monitoring only vs others ($28,146 vs $30,545; P = .12). Pharmacy ($351 vs $509; P = .05), laboratory work ($86 vs $355; P = .01), and diagnostic testing ($4 vs $254; P = .02) costs were lower for uncomplicated cases.Same-day discharge is clinically feasible in40% of elective EVARs but requires coordination for adequate postoperative monitoring. Significant savings are unlikely as most cost is operating room and device related, and further reduction of costs in uncomplicated cases is unlikely.

The most widely used techniques for graft preservation after localized graft infections are muscle flap closure or antibacterial dressings and irrigations after débridement. Vacuum assisted closure (VAC) has been increasingly used for complex wounds in vascular surgery, including groin infections, but not directly on exposed bypass grafts as a stand-alone technique. We used the VAC system after wound débridement in four patients with fully exposed synthetic bypass grafts who were too unstable or risky for further operative interventions. Mean duration of VAC use was 22.8 days (range, 6 to 53 days), with time to total wound closure of 30 to 63 days (mean, 41 days). There were no reinfections with 11 to 25 months' follow-up (mean, 18.3 months). For high-risk surgical patients with a fully exposed infected prosthetic vascular graft, VAC therapy along with aggressive débridement and antibiotic therapy may be an effective alternative to current management strategies.

The development of limb ischemia in patients who are dependent on an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a serious problem. We used external femorofemoral bypass grafting at the bedside as a salvage procedure in two such patients with effective reversal of ischemia, although both died of cardiac complications. This procedure can be considered in patients who are severely coagulopathic and are dependent on IABP and/or ECMO, in whom the graft removal would be considered at the time of balloon removal.

Primary portal venous aneurysms are rare; however, they are the most common visceral venous aneurysms, and their pathogenesis is not fully understood. Complications include thrombosis, rupture, and mass effect on adjacent structures. The optimal management of these patients is not known. We describe a patient whose large (6-cm) portal vein aneurysm underwent complete spontaneous regression over several years of serial observation. To our knowledge, this observation has not been reported in the English literature.

The aim of the study was to determine statin drug association with patency, limb salvage rates and survival after revascularization in patients with chronic limb ischemia. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent revascularization for intermittent claudication or critical limb ischemia between 05/2001 and 12/2009. Patients were grouped based on statin therapy at the time of revascularization. Early postoperative outcomes as well as patency, limb salvage, and survival rates were compared between groups. Of 717 patients, 397 (55.4%) were on statins. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was significantly lower in the statin group. Patency and limb salvage rates were similar; however, survival was significantly better in the statin group. Non-statin use, coronary artery disease, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, renal insufficiency, critical limb ischemia, and age >70 years were found to be independently associated with decreased survival. Statin use was associated with improved survival, but not with long-term patency and limb salvage.

Purpose: To discuss the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of stent-related infections on the basis of 2 new cases and historical review. Case Reports: Two previously unreported cases of vascular stent infection are presented with a summary of cases from the literature. One case involved an iliac artery stent infection secondary to a remote bacteremia 6 months after stent placement. The other case was an early iliac vein stent infection, a previously unreported site of this complication. Both cases were diagnosed by use of computed tomography and were treated surgically after medical management failed. Both patients survived. Conclusions: A high index of suspicion is necessary for the diagnosis of stent infections, and an aggressive treatment is usually necessary for survival. Prophylactic antibiotics should definitely be considered in cases involving repeat interventions and prolonged catheterization, as well as before bacteremia-inducing therapies.

Importance Because of the similarity in clinical outcomes after elective open and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), cost may be an important factor in choosing a procedure. Objective To compare total and AAA-related use of health care services, costs, and cost-effectiveness between groups randomized to open or endovascular repair. Design, Setting, and Participants This unblinded randomized clinical trial enrolled 881 patients undergoing planned elective repair of AAA who were candidates for open and endovascular repair procedures. Patients were randomized from October 15, 2002, to April 15, 2008, at 42 Veterans Affairs medical centers. Follow-up was completed on October 15, 2011, and data were analyzed from April 15, 2013, to April 15, 2016, based on intention to treat. Main Outcomes and Measures Mean total and AAA-related health care cost per life-year and per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Results A total of 881 patients (876 men [99.4%]; 5 women [0.6%]; mean [SD] age, 70 [7.8] years) were included in the analysis. After a mean of 5.2 years of follow-up, mean life-years were 4.89 in the endovascular group and 4.84 in the open repair group ( P = .68), and mean QALYs were 3.72 in the endovascular group and 3.70 in the open repair group ( P = .82). Total mean health care costs did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (endovascular group, $142 745; open repair group, $153 533; difference, −$10 788; 95% CI, −$29 796 to $5825; P = .25). Costs related to AAA, including the initial repair, constituted nearly 40% of total costs and did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (endovascular group, $57 501; open repair group, $57 893; difference, −$393; 95% CI, −$12 071 to $7928; P = .94). Lower costs due to shorter hospitalization for initial endovascular repair were offset by increased costs from AAA-related secondary procedures and imaging studies. The probability of endovascular repair being less costly and more effective was 56.8% when effectiveness was measured in life-years and 55.4% when effectiveness was measured in QALYs for total costs and 31.3% and 34.3%, respectively, for AAA-related costs. Conclusions and Relevance In this multicenter randomized clinical trial with follow-up to 9 years, survival, quality of life, costs, and cost-effectiveness did not differ between elective open and endovascular repair of AAA. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00094575

Iliac artery aneurysms are most commonly associated with aortic aneurysms. Isolated iliac aneurysms are less common but are frequently bilateral at time of presentation. The incidence of metachronous iliac aneurysm formation is unknown. The authors present a case report of a patient with metachronous rupture of iliac aneurysms occurring 3 years apart. The presence of a unilateral iliac aneurysm should prompt close surveillance with computed tomography to identify metachronous lesions before they become symptomatic or rupture in order to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with ruptured iliac aneurysms.

Type or lack of insurance may affect access to care, treatment, and outcomes. We evaluated trends for surgical management of all peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in-hospital admissions by insurer status in New York State.Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) data were obtained and cross-referenced for diagnostic and procedure codes. Data from 2001 to 2002 were averaged and used as a baseline. Change in indication, volume of admissions, procedures, and amputations were calculated for the years 2003 to 2008 and were analyzed by insurer status.There were 83,949 admissions. Endovascular intervention (EVI) increased tremendously for all indications and was used equally in the insured and uninsured. Among critical limb ischemia admissions, patients with private insurance were significantly more likely to be admitted for rest pain and significantly less likely to be admitted for gangrene (p0.001). Admission for gangrene declined for all. As EVI increased, amputation decreased and was significantly lowest in patients with private insurance (p0.001). Amputation was significantly higher in Medicaid than other insured (Medicaid vs private, p0.001; Medicaid vs Medicare, p = 0.003), but comparable to the uninsured (p = 0.08). Age greater than 65 years and low socioeconomic class or minority status were significant risks for gangrene (p = 0.014; p0.001) and ultimate amputation (p = 0.05; p0.001). Lack of insurance may pose a similar risk.EVI increased tremendously and was used without disparity across insurer status. Amputation declined steadily and may have been related to increased EVI or to decreased admission for gangrene. Advanced age, low socioeconomic class or minority status, and lack of insurance negatively affect presentation and limb salvage. Universal health care may be beneficial in improving outcomes but must address root causes for delayed presentation.

ObjectiveThis study evaluated outcomes after endovascular intervention (EVI) for chronic critical limb ischemia (CLI) by Rutherford category (RC) 4, rest pain; and 5, tissue loss.MethodsThe medical records of all EVI performed for RC-4 to RC-5 by vascular surgeons at a single institution during a 3-year period were reviewed for sustained clinical success (SCS), defined as Rutherford improvement score (RIS) 2+, without target extremity revascularization (TER). The RC-5 group was evaluated for patency until healing and healing ≤4 months without recurrence or new ulceration. Secondary sustained clinical success (SSCS) was a RIS of 2+ with TER. The RC-5 group was evaluated for patency until healing and healing at any time during follow-up, without recurrent or new ulceration. Significance was established at the 0.05 level.ResultsOf 106 EVI performed for CLI, 78 (74%) were RC-5. There were 39 (37%) men. Mean age was 73 ± 12 years. Mean follow-up was 19 months (range, 1-44 months). RC-5 patients were significantly more likely than RC-4 to be diabetic (58% vs 32%; P = .020), dialysis dependent (14% vs 0%; P = .036), and to require distal EVI (53% vs 29%; P = .029). RC-4 patients were more likely to be current smokers (57% vs 32%; P = .023). At 24 months, survival was comparable, with RC-4 at 84% ± 8% vs RC-5 at 62% ± 7% (P = .09), but limb salvage was significantly better for RC-4 (100%) vs RC-5 (83% ± 4%; P = .026), as was SCS (48% vs 21%; P = .006) and SSCS (85% vs 39%; P < .001). Independent predictors of failed SSCS were diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 2.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-7.46; P = .036), congestive heart failure (CHF; OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.19-10.99; P = .023), and RC-5 (OR, 5.5; 95% CI, 2.4-30.3; P = .001). SSCS was 94% in RC-4 patients without diabetes mellitus (DM) or CHF and 10% in RC-5 with DM or CHF (P < .001) but improved to 67% in RC-5 when neither CHF nor DM were present (P = .004).ConclusionsRC-4 have fewer comorbidities, less advanced ischemia, and better outcome than RC-5. These groups should be evaluated individually. Limb salvage was acceptable, yet early wound healing without TER (SCS) occurred in only 21%. RC-5, DM, and CHF were predictors of poor SSCS. Careful selection of patients should improve outcome.

We report a case of a false positive fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan in a patient who presented with abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal bleeding accompanied by elevation of inflammatory markers, seven weeks after a proximal type I endoleak repair with a cuff extension. Aortoenteric fistula and endograft infection was ruled out by laparotomy. FDG-PET image may have a role in diagnosis of infection, but false positive results are possible and caution is necessary if other data are non-confirmatory.

Patients presenting with14 days lower extremity ischemia are usually considered as chronic; however, patients with subacute (14 days and3 months) and chronic (3 months) occlusions often have organizing thrombus. This is not considered in current recommendations for the treatment of nonacute leg ischemia and, with the increased use of endovascular interventions, more complex lesions with long occlusions are treated percutaneously. Thrombolysis alone has been reported to successfully decrease this clot load in a significant proportion of patients with subacute occlusions, and percutaneous thrombectomy devices were suggested as a means to decrease the hemorrhagic complications associated with thrombolysis. However, distal embolization remains a problem, which these interventions are intended to prevent. In this article, we aim to review the current literature on the endovascular treatment of patients with subacute arterial occlusions, and review our experience.

Background Management of patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and malignancy is challenging. We aimed to define the coincidence of AAA and lung cancer and to determine a treatment strategy. Methods The outcomes for patients diagnosed with AAA and lung cancer between 1991 and 2004 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Results We identified 75 patients with both lesions among 1,096 AAA and 1,875 lung cancer patients. Survival correlated with cancer stage; only 3 deaths were directly attributable to the patient's AAA. Of 59 patients who did not have AAA repair at the time of cancer diagnosis, 12 were repaired. Twenty-seven of those 59 patients had a 5.0-cm or larger AAA; only 1 patient with a 7.5-cm AAA had a rupture 5 months after thoracotomy and died. Conclusions The co-existence of AAA and lung cancer is not rare; prognosis is poor and largely determined by the lung cancer stage. Open or endovascular repair of AAA rarely is justified in patients with advanced disease unless the AAA is symptomatic or large (>7 cm). Treatment for AAAs greater than 5.5 cm should be based on stage, histology, and patient comorbidities.

Purpose: To describe a technique for access site closure in percutaneous abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair using double Perclose ProGlide devices to overcome the problems associated with the bulky delivery system and braided suture of the antecedent (Prostar) device. Technique: After obtaining guidewire access, 2 Perclose ProGlide sutures are deployed at 90° to each other. The appropriate sheaths are placed over the stiff guidewires. After the stent-graft procedure is completed, an assistant holds pressure while the knots are tightened with the stiff guidewire still in the artery. Once the second knot is tightened with the knot pusher and after confirming adequate hemostasis, the wire is removed, pressure is applied, and heparin reversed. This method has been used in 17 consecutive patients (age range 65–85 years) undergoing endovascular AAA repair. One patient needed patch angioplasty and 2 required small incisions for additional suture placements (81% primary success rate for total percutaneous repair, 90% success rate for all sites). Conclusion: We have found the double Perclose ProGlide technique to be easy to use, safe, and feasible for total percutaneous AAA repair. More experience with longer follow-up is needed to assess its potential to replace the Perclose Prostar closure device for total percutaneous AAA repairs.

Scrotal necrosis is an extremely rare complication following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Sloughing of scrotal skin and penile necrosis owing to therapeutic hypogastric artery occlusion for endoluminal aortoiliac aneurysm repair have been documented. We present herein one case of scrotal necrosis following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. The presentation of combined scrotal necrosis, buttock ischemia, lower extremity livedo reticularis, and left blue toes with palpable pulses in the posterior tibial and dorsalis pedis arteries suggested that microembolization during endovascular aneurysm repair was the major cause of the devastating ischemic complications in this patient.

mean follow-up of 7 6 6 months, no endoleaks were identified in the zones of prophylactically placed EndoAnchors. No graft migration occurred during follow-up. Two patients (3.3%) had endoleaks identified in the zones of therapeutically placed EndoAnchors, both of which were type Ia. Five cases (8.2%) had aortic-related reintervention. Late aortic related mortality was 5.1% (n 1⁄4 3). Conclusions: EndoAnchors can be safely used in CEVAR and TEVAR procedures, with a very high technical success rate at implantation. EndoAnchors are generally placed prophylactically to stabilize graft position in patients with complex anatomy or therapeutically in an attempt to resolve endoleaksduringCEVARandTEVAR.Larger studies with long-term follow-up are necessary to better define their roles in patients undergoing complex or thoracic aortic repair.

Objective Prior analysis in the Open vs Endovascular Repair Veterans Affairs (VA) Cooperative Study (CSP #498) demonstrated that survival, quality of life, and total health care costs are not significantly different between the open and endovascular methods of repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. The device is a major cost of this method of repair, and the objective of this study was to evaluate the costs of the device, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and total health care costs when different endograft systems are selected for the endovascular repair (EVR). Within each selected system, EVR costs are compared with open repair costs. Methods The study randomized 881 patients to open (n = 437) or EVR (n = 444). Device selection was recorded before randomization; therefore, open repair controls were matched to each device cohort. Data were excluded for two low-volume devices, implanted in only 13 individuals, leaving 423 control and 431 endovascular patients: 166 Zenith (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind), 177 Excluder (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz), and 88 AneuRx (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn). Mean device, hospitalization, and total health care costs from randomization to 2 years were compared. Health care utilization data were obtained from patients and national VA and Medicare data sources. VA costs were determined using methods previously developed by the VA Health Economics Resource Center. Non-VA costs were obtained from Medicare claims data and billing data from the patient's health care providers. Results Implant costs were 38% of initial hospitalization costs. Mean device (range, $13,600-$14,400), initial hospitalization (range, $34,800-$38,900), and total health care costs at 2 years in the endovascular (range, $72,400-$78,200) and open repair groups (range, $75,600-$82,100) were not significantly different among device systems. Differences between endovascular and corresponding open repair cohorts showed lower mean costs for EVR (range, $3200-$8300), but these were not statistically different. Conclusions The implant costs of endovascular aneurysm repair are substantial. When evaluating total health care system expenditures, there is large individual variability in costs, and there is no significant difference at 2 years among systems or when an individual system is compared with open repair.

Our approach to patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) underwent a rapid evolution from open surgery to preferential use of endovascular procedures. The goal of the current report was to evaluate the impact of this change on patients with CLI.Consecutive patients with CLI were compared between 3 periods: June 2001 to October 2002 (I) versus November 2002 to October 2003 (II) versus November 2003 to June 2005 (III).A total of 275 patients (301 limbs, mean age 70 +/- 11) underwent revascularization or primary major amputation (PA) for CLI (81 in I, 76 in II, 144 in III). PA decreased from 14.8%, 10.5%, and 3.5% (P.001). Mean follow-up was 19.7 +/- 13.6 months (range 0 to 57). Overall 24-month limb salvage (LS) was 60%, 69%, and 85% (P = .001), and 71%, 77%, and 88% following LS attempt (P = .017), with no difference in survival. Length of stay (LOS) decreased from 10.7 +/- 12.1 (I) to 5.2 +/- 6.2 days (III) (P = .001).Preferential use of endovascular interventions in patients presenting with CLI resulted in decreased number of PA, improved LS, and decreased LOS, without a difference in survival.

Objective We investigated the incidence, cause, and outcome of large bowel and small bowel ischemia after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Methods Medical records for all patients undergoing endovascular AAA repair from December 1999 to December 2003 were reviewed. The incidence, cause, and outcome of clinically detected postoperative bowel ischemia were analyzed. Results Seven hundred two endovascular AAA repairs were performed. In 10 patients (1.4%) acute bowel ischemia developed. Six of these patients sustained concurrent small bowel necrosis, and the remaining 4 had isolated colon ischemia. Seven patients underwent exploratory laparotomy. In 6 of these bowel resection was performed, and in 1 patient the ischemic bowel was unsalvageable. Of the 6 patients with small and large bowel ischemia, 4 had segmental or patchy necrosis, which was separated by normal-appearing intestine, and 1 had extensive ischemia that involved most of the small bowel and the entire colon, with pathologic evidence of microembolization. Three patients had preoperative occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery. One had unilateral and 1 had bilateral hypogastric artery interruption. Five of the 6 patients with small bowel ischemia had thrombus or atheroma in the proximal aneurysmal necks. All patients with isolated colon ischemia survived. All 6 patients with concurrent small bowel ischemia died. Conclusion The total incidence of clinically evident bowel ischemia after endovascular AAA repair is similar to that after open surgery. However, small bowel ischemia occurs more commonly in patients with endovascular repair, and is associated with extremely high mortality. The direct pathologic evidence and the patterns of segmental, skipped, or patchy ischemia in most patients imply that microembolization has an important role.

The use of vascular closure devices (VCD) after percutaneous interventions has increased dramatically in the last decade, mainly due to the shorter time to hemostasis, early ambulation, discharge, and increased turnover with reduced staff utilization. Although these devices add to the cost of the procedure, have never been shown to provide added benefit to manual compression significant complications have been reported with their use, their continued utilization reflects the fact that their perceived advantages outweigh the occasional complications that are encountered. The article by Klocker et al. in this issue of EJVES reviewed all patients who required surgery for pseudoaneurysms or local stenosis/occlusion in a very large cohort (n Z 58,453) of patients following percutaneous interventions between 2001e2008, and compared the earlier time period (2001e2004) when a particular collagen-based closure device was sparingly used to the latter time period (2005e2008) of more liberal use of the same device. The study has some major shortcomings: The authors do not have specific data on the actual complication rates following VCD use or manual compression, the sheath size, anticoagulation used, type of intervention other anatomic parameters, and other significant

Background: Isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IAA) in patients with or without previous abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair are rare. We wanted to compare the presentation, distribution, treatment, outcome and patterns of subsequent aneurysm formation in these patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with isolated IAA over a 10-year period. Patients with primary isolated IAA (group 1) were compared with patients who presented with IAA after previous AAA repair (group 2). Results: There were 23 patients in each group. Demographics and comorbidities were similar. No aneurysms were detected outside of the iliac system in group 1; 22% of patients in group 2 had other aneurysms. The mean time after AAA repair to IAA diagnosis was 8.8 ± 3.2 years for operated on patients. The in-hospital mortality was 0% for elective cases and 50% for emergency cases for both groups. Three patients in group 2 (13%) developed new aneurysms during follow-up, whereas the only new aneurysm in group 1 was a contralateral IAA. Conclusions: Patients with new IAA after AAA repair have a greater tendency to develop further aneurysms in other sites, synchronously or metachronously. The time to detection of new IAA after AAA repair is at least 5 years in most cases. In both groups, a quarter to a third of patients present with rupture, with a resultant mortality of 30% to 50%, whereas those operated on electively have minimal morbidity and almost no mortality.

The adoption of endovascular interventions has been reported to lower amputation rates, but patients who undergo endovascular and open revascularization are not directly comparable. We have adopted an endovascular-first approach but individualize the revascularization technique according to patient characteristics. This study compared characteristics of patients who had endovascular and open procedures and assessed the long-term outcomes.From December 2002 to September 2010, 433 patients underwent infrainguinal revascularization for critical limb ischemia (CLI; Rutherford IV-VI) of 514 limbs (endovascular: 295 patients, 363 limbs; open: 138 patients, 151 limbs). Patency rates, limb salvage (LS), and survival, as also their predictors, were calculated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analysis.The endovascular group was older, with more diabetes, renal insufficiency, and tissue loss. More reconstructions were multilevel (72% vs 39%; P.001) and the most distal level of intervention was infrapopliteal in the open group (64% vs 49%; P = .001). The 30-day mortality was 2.8% in the endovascular and 6.0% in the open group (P = .079). Mean follow-up was 28.4 ± 23.1 months (0-100). In the endovascular vs open groups, 7% needed open, and 24% needed inflow/runoff endovascular reinterventions with or without thrombolysis vs 6% and 17%. In the endovascular vs open group, 5-year LS was 78% ± 3% vs 78% ± 4% (P = .992), amputation-free survival was 30% ± 3% vs 39% ± 5% (P = .227), and survival was 36% ± 4% vs 46% ± 5% (P = .146). Five-year primary patency (PP), assisted-primary patency (APP), and secondary patency (SP) rates were 50 ± 5%, 70 ± 5% and 73 ± 6% in endovascular, and 48 ± 6%, 59 ± 6% and 64 ± 6% in the open group, respectively (P = .800 for PP, 0.037 for APP, 0.022 for SP). Multivariate analysis identified poor functional capacity (hazard ratio, 3.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.9-6.5]; P.001), dialysis dependence (2.2 [1.3-3.8]; P = .003), gangrene (2.2 [1.4-3.4]; P.001), need for infrapopliteal intervention (2.0 [1.2-3.1]; P = .004), and diabetes (1.8 [1.1-3.1]; P = .031) as predictors of limb loss. Poor functional capacity (3.3 [2.4-4.6]; P.001), coronary artery disease (1.5 [1.1-2.1]; P = .006), and gangrene (1.4 [1.1-1.9]; P = .007) predicted poorer survival. Statin use predicted improved survival (0.6 [0.5-0.8]; P = .001). Need for infrapopliteal interventions predicted poorer PP (0.6 [0.5-0.9-2.2]; P = .007), whereas use of autologous vein predicted better PP (1.8 [1.1-2.9]; P = .017).Patients who undergo endovascular revascularization for CLI are medically higher-risk patients. Those who have bypass have more complex disease and are more likely to require multilevel reconstruction and infrapopliteal intervention. Individualizing revascularization results in optimization of early and late outcomes with acceptable LS, although survival remains low in those with poor health status.

Outcomes of Ischemic Colitis after Hybrid Endovascular Repair of Complex Aortic Aneurysms in the North American Complex Abdominal Aortic Debranching (NACAAD) Registry Carlos H. Timaran, Gustavo S. Oderich, Mark A. Farber, William Quinones-Baldrich, Peter Gloviczki, Guillermo Escobar, Roy K. Greenberg, James Black, Sharif Ellozy, Edward Woo, Michael Singh, Mark Fillinger, Jason Lee, Hasan H. Dosluoglu. Univ of Texas Southwestern Med Ctr, Dallas, TX; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Univ of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; Univ of California, Los Angeles, CA; Univ of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; Johns Hopkins Med Ctr, Baltimore, MD; Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY; Univ of Pennsylvania Med Ctr, Philadelphia, PA; Univ of Rochester Med Ctr, Rochester, NY; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr, Lebanon, NH; Stanford Univ Med Ctr, Stanford, CA; State Univ of New York, Buffalo, NY

Several methods have been described for the prolongation of survival of isolated and transplanted islet cells. To investigate the effect of a stable prostacyclin analogue, ZK 36374 (Iloprost) on isolated and allotransplanted islet cell function, we studied 6 groups of rats: Group 1 (n = 7) animals underwent pancreatectomy and their islets were isolated and cultured by standard techniques. Group 2 (n = 8) animals were treated the same, except for the addition of Iloprost to the culture solutions. Group 3 (n = 7) animals were treated as group 1, but the isolated islets were transplanted to the subcapsular space of the left kidney of group 5 (n = 7) animals. Group 4 (n = 8) animals were treated as group 2, and the isolated islets were transplanted to group 6 (n = 8) animals. The insulin levels in the culture media obtained in group 1 and 2 were measured. In groups 5 and 6 blood glucose levels were measured and intraperitoneal glucose loading tests were performed. Histological examination was performed for both isolated and transplanted islets. The results showed that both insulin levels and histologic evaluation were better for group 2 than group 1. Animals in group 6 reached normoglycemia on the fifth day following transplantation while it was the ninth day for group 5. The intraperitoneal glucose loading test was tolerated better by group 6 animals. We conclude that Iloprost may be responsible for the improved results which seem to be due to its cytoprotective effect.