Femoral Arterial Haemostasis Using an Anchored Collagen Plug after Percutaneous EVAR with an Ultra-Low Profile Device: Prospective Audit of an Evolving “Post-Close” Technique

Abstract

To present an audit of a successful "post-close" haemostatic technique using the Angio-Seal VIP vascular closure device (VCD) after percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair (p-EVAR) using an ultra-low profile (ULP) device. Thirty patients underwent EVAR using the Ovation device, of which 26 procedures were totally percutaneous. Data including patient habitus, procedural details, number of VCDs deployed including use of the double wire approach, and technical success/complications were prospectively recorded. Numerical/statistical analyses were undertaken using Microsoft Excel 2007 and Minitab for Windows. Thirty consecutive patients (27 male, 3 female; age range 70-85 years [mean 76.1, SD 6.5]) underwent EVAR for an infrarenal AAA (mean size 61mm, SD 9.7) between March 2014 and August 2016 using the Ovation endograft system. In a few patients open ipsilateral femoral access was used (n=4); the remainder underwent p-EVAR (n=26), and these results are presented hereafter. Ipsilateral sheath sizes used varied between 14F (n=22), 15F (n=3), and 16F (n=1), and were closed using a single 8F Angio-Seal (n=7), a combination of 8F/6F Angio-Seal VCDs (n=18), or two 8F Angio-Seal VCDs (n=1) with prior double wire set up. Contralateral punctures were closed mostly with a single 8F Angio-Seal (n=24) or combination of 8F/6F Angio-Seal VCDs (n=2) to seal defects downsized to 12F. The overall immediate haemostasis success rate was 100%. Mean length of stay in the p-EVAR cohort was 2 days (SD 1.5). All patients had a post-EVAR computed tomography angiogram (n=24) or duplex ultrasound (n=2) which did not reveal any stenoses or seromas; two patients developed an ipsilateral femoral pseudoaneurysm successfully treated by thrombin injection. A "post-close" technique can be employed successfully for haemostasis after p-EVAR using an ULP device. An 8F Angio-Seal is usually effective in closing a 12F femoral arterial defect. This represents a viable option for femoral arterial closure in this scenario.