Covered stent implantation by the puncture method for the treatment of a small aneurysm of the common iliac artery

Endovascular treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysms: 2-year follow-up

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of endovascular treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between March 1999 and March 2004, 15 isolated IAAs in 13 patients (mean age: 71.8 years) were selected for endovascular repair by means of a covered stent or stent-graft: 12 were in the common iliac artery (2 with the proximal end 12 mm from the aortic bifurcation and 2 involving the distal hypogastric artery), and three were in the external iliac artery. The preoperative study and the follow-up (at 3, 6 and 12 months and yearly thereafter) were performed by computed tomography (CT) angiography.

RESULTS

Primary technical success was obtained in all cases, without periprocedural complications. Two patients died within 3 months and were not considered for follow-up. Follow-up (mean duration: 25 months, range: 6-60 months) in the remaining 11 patients, affected by 13 aneurysms, showed aneurysm exclusion in nine cases and progressive shrinkage of the aneurysmal sac in four cases, whereas in the other five, the size of the aneurysm remained unchanged. In a patient with bilateral IAA, bilateral proximal endoleaks were observed after 2 years, and the patient was treated with a bifurcated aortic stent-graft. In another patient with a large aneurysm, a left aortofemoral bypass became necessary after 2 months because of stent-graft dislodgement. In another patient, an endoleak from the hypogastric artery occurred after 2 years but was not treated.

CONCLUSIONS

Endovascular treatment of isolated IAA is a feasible procedure that is less invasive than surgery and yields excellent short-and midterm results. However, a longer follow-up and larger patient series are needed to verify the long-term efficacy of this form of treatment.

Fracture of popliteal artery stents

In peripheral arterial obstructive disease, more than 50% of all lesions are localized in the femoropopliteal segment and surgical revascularization is the treatment of choice. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is recommended for short lesions, with subsequent stent implantation if the result is sub-optimal or dissections occur after PTA or for restenosis. There are both acute and late complications with stent implantation. In the present patient, stents were placed in the left popliteal artery where the left knee joint flexes, and obstruction because of stent fracture occurred 6 months later. The patient eventually underwent left femoro-popliteal saphenous vein bypass grafting.