Amplatzer Vascular Plug Embolization in Two Patients with Ruptured Infrarenal Aortic Aneurysm and Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

Mortality for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is known to be high. When left untreated, it is nearly always fatal. Standard treatment options include open surgery and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), but both techniques have limitations. Owing to comorbidities and anatomical constraints, some patients are deemed unsuitable for both open surgery and EVAR. In these patients, alternative treatment strategies can be of special interest. To our knowledge, these are the first two cases reported using an Amplatzer Vascular Plug II for aortic embolization in patients with coexisting aneurysmatic and aorto-bi-iliac occlusive disease requiring urgent treatment for contained AAA rupture. Successful aneurysm exclusion was noted at follow-up ranging from 5 months to 3 years, and no procedure-related complications occurred. We therefore believe that in selected patients, this could be an elegant alternative in life-threatening situations with sustained occlusion in the mid-term.

Successful endovascular treatment of iliac arteriovesical fistula with secondary stent-graft infection

A 58-year-old woman initially presented with massive gross hematuria and iliac arteriovesical fistula (IAVF). Endovascular stent-graft repair achieved complete exclusion of the IAVF and controlled the bleeding, but sepsis subsequently developed because of endograft infection. Endovascular embolization of the infected stent graft was performed after extraanatomic bypass surgery. The patient recovered and showed no signs of graft infection or recurrent fistulization at 14 months after treatment. Endovascular embolization of infected stent grafts combined with extraanatomic bypass may be an acceptable treatment option for graft-related sepsis in cases that are resistant to conservative treatment and pose high surgical risk for graft excision.