Hybrid Repair of an Intrathoracic Bilobed Subclavian Artery Aneurysm

Endovascular Stent Graft Repair for True and Post-Traumatic False Aneurysms of the Subclavian Artery

OBJECTIVE

Subclavian artery aneurysms (SAAs) are uncommon but life-threatening, and a standard treatment approach has yet to be established. The current study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for SAAs.

METHODS

The clinical data of 18 SAA patients who underwent endovascular repair at 3 hospitals from January 2009 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (12 men and 6 women) with a mean age of 61 years were included. Six patients (33.3%) had a history of hypertension, and 5 (27.8%) had a history of chest trauma. Five patients (27.8%) were asymptomatic. Thirteen (72.2%) SAAs were true aneurysms, and the others (27.8%) were posttraumatic false aneurysms. Endovascular stent graft repair was performed in all patients without conversion to open surgery. The immediate technique success rate was 94.4%, with no postoperative death and only one case (5.6%) of endoleak that was observed on intraoperative angiography and later resolved spontaneously. All patients survived over a median follow-up time of 57 months. Follow-up imaging showed that all stent grafts remained patent, with no endoleak.

CONCLUSIONS

Endovascular stent graft repair is feasible, safe, and effective for true and posttraumatic false SAAs and represents a promising treatment option for these SAAs.

Long-term outcomes of endovascular treatment of isolated subclavian artery aneurysms

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to review our institutional experience of endovascular treatment for isolated subclavian artery aneurysms and evaluate the long-term outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients with isolated subclavian artery aneurysms who underwent endovascular treatment between March 2008 and March 2020 was performed. The demographics, aneurysmal characteristics, treatment strategies, and in-hospital and follow-up outcomes were recorded and then analyzed.

RESULTS

From March 2008 to March 2020, 35 isolated subclavian artery aneurysms were endovascularly treated at our institution. Atherosclerosis was the most common cause of aneurysms in this series. Most aneurysms were intrathoracic (91.4%) and located at the right side (77.1%). There were 26 true aneurysms, seven pseudoaneurysms, and two ruptured isolated subclavian artery aneurysms. Five types of endovascular strategies were performed. Covered stent placement across the aneurysm was the most (54.3%) commonly used method. Technical success was achieved in all patients. The median postoperative in-hospital stay was 4.0 days (range, 1-15 days). One patient died after discharge but within 30 days of surgery due to myocardial infarction. The median follow-up time was 62.0 months (range, 3-132 months). No death, stroke, stent fractures, or severe upper limb ischemia developed during the follow-up period. The cumulative survival rate at five years was 97.1%. The overall complication rate was 25.7% and one-third of complications (8.6%) required reinterventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Endovascular treatment for isolated subclavian artery aneurysms is safe, effective and technically achievable in most patients. Short- and long-term outcomes are promising. Reasonable and flexible use of covered stents can also get satisfactory outcomes in some complicated lesions such as isolated subclavian artery aneurysms located at the origin of the right subclavian artery, avoiding the huge surgical trauma caused by conventional open repair.

Successful Balloon-assisted Coil Embolization of Right Subclavian Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report

Objective

Subclavian artery aneurysms are relatively rare, and have been treated by open surgery and/or endovascular treatment using a stent graft. In this article, we report a case of unruptured right subclavian artery aneurysm successfully treated using balloon-assisted coil embolization.

Case Presentation

A 77-year-old man was diagnosed with an asymptomatic unruptured right subclavian artery aneurysm of 8 mm in diameter by follow-up CTA after surgery for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. He also had a history of cerebral infarction and clipping of an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. The subclavian artery aneurysm was treated by balloon-assisted coil embolization because its diameter increased to 17.6 mm in 2 years. Balloon assistance was mainly used to prevent protrusion of the framing coil into the parent artery, and satisfactory framing was achieved. Subsequently, the aneurysm was obliterated using filling and finishing coils. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the follow-up MRI at 18 months after treatment revealed no recanalization of the aneurysm.

Conclusion

Balloon-assisted coil embolization may be an effective treatment for subclavian artery aneurysms, but further long-term follow-up and case accumulation are needed.