Early clinical experience with the Anaconda re-deployable endograft in 106 patients with abdominal aortic aneurism: the west of Scotland Anaconda registry.

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm is a common procedure and not without complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early results of the Anaconda endograft (Vascutek Ltd., Inchinnan, Scotland, UK) in 106 patients in three hospitals in the west of Scotland. A prospective registry of 106 consecutive patients undergoing endoluminal repair of their abdominal aortic aneurysms using the Anaconda device was set up to record the clinical outcomes, with a mean follow-up of two years. There was no 30-day perioperative mortality in the 106 patients. Only type II endoleaks were detected on serial computed tomography scanning at follow-up. Technical success was achieved in 99% (105/106) in this study; one patient was converted to open surgical repair. Two cases of proximal device migration (>1 cm) were detected at one month and 19 months, respectively, with no associated endoleak or sac enlargement. Five cases of endograft limb thrombosis were noted in this study. Our early clinical experience with the Anaconda endograft compares favourably with other commercially available endografts in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The main advantages of this device are that it is re-deployable and that it has a magnetic wire system which makes it easy to implant.