Background: Endovascular grafting has markedly reduced the invasiveness of the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. By using a modification of technique for available closure devices, we have been able to achieve percutaneous repair of aneurysms. This study reviewed our initial experience with this technique.
Methods: Demographics and background data from patients undergoing endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms were reviewed from prospectively collected registry data. Operative notes and angiographic and computed tomography scan data were retrospectively reviewed to assess the success of the percutaneous approach.
Results: Fourteen patients have undergone percutaneous placement of the AneuRx (Medtronic, Sunnyvale, Calif) endovascular graft, with a modification of the technique for the Prostar (Perclose, Redwood City, Calif) device for access site closure. Main graft body introduction with a 22F sheath proved successful in nine of 12 (75%) deployments. Contralateral limb deployment through a 16F sheath was successful in 10 of 14 deployments (71.4%). Reasons for conversion to open groin incisions include inadequate percutaneous hemostasis (six cases), iliofemoral dissection (four cases), device failure (one case), and compromised distal flow (one case). Percutaneous deployment success appears to be improved with larger iliac artery dimensions, decreased calcification, and limited tortuosity, because of the limitation of complications related to delivering a larger diameter sheath. Of the 13 percutaneous endograft insertions that were attempted, six (46.2%) were completely successful.
Conclusion: Percutaneous deployment of available devices is technically feasible by using modifications of technique with percutaneous closure devices, despite large introducer sizes. Further experience with this technique offers the potential for identifying patients in whom this will prove successful and for even further reducing hospital stay and recovery times for aneurysm repair.