The aim of the study was to report outcomes of a thoraco-abdominal, custom made, low profile (outer diameter 20 Fr) four branched endograft used as an off the shelf (OTS) solution for urgent juxta/pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (J/P-AAAs) and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) in the presence of hostile femoral/iliac access. Data for patients who underwent endovascular repair for urgent J/P-AAAs and TAAAs with hostile femoral/iliac access by a low profile, four branched endograft in four European aortic centres between 2019 and 2023 were prospectively collected and retrospectively analysed. The investigated device was a custom made endograft with the configuration of a standard T-branch, used as an OTS solution for urgent cases with hostile femoral/iliac access. Access related complications, spinal cord ischaemia (SCI), and 30 day mortality were assessed as primary outcomes. Survival, freedom from re-interventions (FFRs), and iliac limb occlusion (ILO) were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Fifty five cases were enrolled: ruptures, n = 14 (25%); symptomatic, n = 12 (22%); and asymptomatic TAAAs with diameter ≥ 80 mm, n = 29 (53%). The were seven (13%) J/P-AAAs and 48 (87%) TAAAs. The median right and left external iliac artery diameters were 6.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 5.5, 7.9) mm and 7.1 (IQR 6.5, 8.7) mm, respectively. Bilateral hostile femoral/iliac access was reported in 39 patients (71%). Access related complications occurred in five cases (9%). There were four cases (7%) of SCI with two permanent paraplegias. Four patients (7%) died within 30 days. The median follow up was 22 (IQR 11, 33) months. Overall, eight patients (15%) required re-interventions: four within 30 days and four during follow up. No ILO occurred. Estimated one year FFRs and survival was 91% and 87%, respectively. Low profile OTS thoraco-abdominal endograft seems safe and effective to manage urgent J/P-AAAs and TAAAs in the presence of hostile femoral/iliac access. Further larger studies with long term follow up are needed to validate this preliminary experience.
Read full abstract