Abdominal Aortic Intramural Hematoma Related to Penetrating Ulcer:An Inappropriate Indication for Endovascular Repair?

Endovascular repair of infrarenal focal aortic pathology with limited aortic coverage

BACKGROUND

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) for degenerative abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) requires complete aortic exclusion to prevent ongoing aneurysmal degeneration in a diseased aorta. Focal infrarenal aortic pathology, such as penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU), saccular aneurysm, and/or intramural hematoma (IMH) may not necessitate complete aortic coverage. Here, we review our experience with endovascular management of focal aortic pathology with limited aortic coverage.

METHODS

A prospectively maintained institutional database of patients undergoing EVAR was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients treated with a nonbifurcated device (Current Procedural Terminology code: 34,800). Patients without a diagnosis of PAU, saccular aneurysm, IMH, or iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm were excluded. Medical records and imaging studies were reviewed for confirmation of focal aortic pathology. Preoperative imaging and intraoperative details were reviewed. Outcome measures included technical success, symptom-free survival, and freedom from reintervention.

RESULTS

Eight patients were identified who underwent repair of a focal aortic defect with an endovascular tube graft from 2004-2011. Six patients underwent surgery for 7 saccular pseudoaneurysms and 2 patients had iatrogenic infrarenal pseudoaneurysms. Six saccular aneurysms were associated with PAU. Seven patients (88%) were men; the median age was 76 years (range: 50-85 years). Four patients (50%) had symptoms attributable to their aneurysm (2 abdominal pain, 1 gastrointestinal symptoms, 1 lower extremity emboli). Aneurysm repair was classified as urgent in 2 patients (25%). Six patients (75%) required placement of a single aortic component, the other 2 patients (25%) required 2 components. All devices used were Zenith (Cook, Inc., Bloomington, IN) ancillary components. The median device diameter was 22 mm (range: 18-28 mm), while the median device length was 56.5 mm (range: 39-80 mm). The technical success rate was 100%. There were no early graft-related complications. All symptomatic patients experienced improvement or resolution of symptoms. In all cases, radiologic follow-up at 1 month showed stable or decreasing aneurysm size. No endoleaks were detected and no patients have required reintervention to date.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal management of many focal infrarenal aortic defects, particularly those that are incidentally discovered, remains unclear. Our experience with endovascular repair of focal aortic pathology with limited aortic coverage suggests this approach is technically feasible and associated with excellent early results.

Endovascular therapy for penetrating ulcers of the infrarenal aorta

BACKGROUND

We sought to investigate the short- and mid-term results of the endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal penetrating aortic ulcers (aPAUs).

METHODS

Patients with infrarenal aPAUs treated by endovascular means between March 2004 and June 2012 were recruited. Pre-interventional imaging included computed tomography (CT) or CT angiography. Endoprostheses were chosen and deployed according to standard elective endovascular aneurysm repair anatomical requirements. Endpoints included 30-day survival, in-hospital mortality, 1-year PAU-related mortality, 1-year all-cause mortality, freedom from death and freedom from cumulative complication and interventions. Statistically, the Kaplan-Meier method was applied.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients (18 men, median age 70 years (interquartile range, IQR = 59-75)) suffering aPAUs (n = 29, infrarenal = 25) were detected. The median co-morbid severity scoring was 1.0 (IQR = 0.4-1.4). The median follow-up period was 33 months (IQR = 8-51.5). Furthermore, 94.7% of patients had hypertension. Fourteen patients (73.7%) had symptoms, including four of them admitted with shock from large-contained PAU rupture. Endoluminal stent grafting was successfully delivered in all patients. In-hospital mortality was 10.5%. Two patients required secondary interventions (10.5%). The 30-day survival, 1-year PAU-related mortality and 1-year all-cause mortality were 94.7%, 89.5% and 89.5%, respectively. Freedom from death and freedom from cumulative complications and interventions was 86.4% and 86.4%, 78.9% and 78.9%, and 67.9% and 71.2% at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Urgent and elective endovascular repair of aPAUs can be achieved with high technical success. The significant co-morbid status of the treated patients is illustrated in the considerable in-hospital mortality and underlines the advantage of such treatment over open surgical repair.