Long-term durability of multibranched endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal and pararenal aortic aneurysms

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the durability of multibranched endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) and pararenal aortic aneurysms by examining the rates of late-occurring (beyond 30 days) complications.

Methods: There were 146 patients who underwent endovascular TAAA repair using a stent graft, with a total of 538 caudally oriented self-expanding branches. Four patients died in the perioperative period and were excluded, leaving 142 patients (mean age, 73 ± 8 years; 35 [24.7%] women). Follow-up included clinical examination and computed tomography angiography at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months and yearly thereafter.

Results: Mean aneurysm diameter was 67 ± 9 mm. Sixty-seven TAAAs (47.2%) were Crawford type I, II, III, or V; 75 (52.8%) were type IV or pararenal. Three patients (2.1%) died >30 days after operation from perioperative complications. During a mean follow-up of 36 months (±28 months), there were four additional aneurysm-related deaths: one (0.7%) as a result of aneurysm rupture in the presence of untreatable type I endoleak, one (0.7%) after conversion to open repair for stent graft infection, one (0.7%) after occlusion of superior mesenteric artery and celiac branches, and one (0.7%) due to bilateral renal branch occlusion. There was one additional open conversion for stent graft infection (0.7%). Nineteen patients (13.3%) underwent 20 reinterventions for late-occurring complications, including 11 (7.7%) for renal branch occlusion or stenosis, 1 (0.7%) for mesenteric branch stenosis, 4 (2.8%) for graft limb occlusion, 1 (0.7%) for type IB endoleak (distal stent graft migration), and 1 (0.7%) for type III endoleak (fabric erosion); 2 (1.4%) open conversions were performed for stent graft infection. There were no late type IA endoleaks. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, freedom from aneurysm-related death was 91.1% and freedom from aneurysm-related death or reintervention was 76.8% at 5 years. The 5-year overall survival rate of 49.1% reflects the high rate of cardiopulmonary comorbidity. Although renal branch occlusion (23 occlusions of 256 renal branches [8.9%]) was the most common late complication, only five patients required permanent dialysis.

Conclusions: Total endovascular repair of TAAAs and pararenal aortic aneurysms using axially oriented cuffs is safe, effective, and durable in the long term.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00483249.

Keywords: Aortic aneurysm; Blood vessel prosthesis implantation; Endovascular procedures; Postoperative complications.