Branched Endovascular Therapy of the Distal Aortic Arch: Preliminary Results of the Feasibility Multicenter Trial of the Gore Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis

Ann Thorac Surg. 2016 Oct;102(4):1190-8. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2016.03.091. Epub 2016 Jun 2.

Abstract

Background: Endovascular treatment for aortic arch aneurysms often requires adjunctive use of hybrid debranching procedures to maintain branch vessel perfusion. This study describes early results with a novel branched arch endograft for total endovascular repair of distal arch aneurysms.

Methods: This US feasibility multicenter clinical trial evaluated 22 patients (mean age, 74.1 ± 10.5 years; 54.5% male) undergoing branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair in Ishimaru zone 2. This endograft was designed with a single side branch designed to facilitate aortic coverage proximal to the left subclavian artery while maintaining branch vessel patency. The pathologic features treated included fusiform (n = 10) and saccular (n = 12) aneurysms, with a mean aortic diameter of 5.7 ± 1.1 cm. The mean preoperative left-to-right brachial index was 1.0 ± 0.1.

Results: The mean total treatment length was 17.6 ± 8.9 cm; 8 patients were treated with a single 10-cm graft for isolated arch disease. The primary endpoint of device delivery and branch vessel patency was achieved in 100% of patients, without 30-day death, stroke, or permanent paraplegia. The median duration of hospitalization was 4.0 days. Type I endoleaks at completion angiography were observed in 4 patients, and all resolved by 1 month without reintervention. All side branches were patent at 1 month. The Kaplan-Meier survival rate at 6 months was 94.7%.

Conclusions: Total endovascular repair of distal zone 2 arch aortic aneurysms can be achieved with a novel branched arch endograft. Future studies will evaluate the feasibility of this approach for aneurysms encompassing the brachiocephalic trunk and left carotid artery.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Aorta, Thoracic / physiopathology
  • Aorta, Thoracic / surgery
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / mortality*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / surgery*
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / adverse effects
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / methods
  • Computed Tomography Angiography / methods*
  • Endovascular Procedures / adverse effects
  • Endovascular Procedures / methods*
  • Endovascular Procedures / mortality
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hospital Mortality / trends*
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology
  • Postoperative Complications / therapy
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Risk Assessment
  • Survival Analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome