Thomas Larzon

Observational studies comparing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with open repair (OR) in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have suggested a benefit for EVAR but have been questioned recently by randomized controlled trials (RCT). A low eligibility for endovascular repair is a main limitation of these RCTs. In contrast, data from 473 patients from 1998 to 2011 in the Örebro/Zurich series show that nearly all AAA patients presenting with rupture can in fact be treated with EVAR with a low 30-day mortality rate (24%) and a minimal exclusion rate (4%). By using different adjunct techniques, such as chimneys and periscopes, also juxtarenal aneurysms can be treated even if simultaneous aortic balloon occlusion is necessary. OnyxTM embolization of the internal iliac artery in patients with aortoiliac aneurysms prevents back flow, thus avoiding an endoleak type. From May 2009 until December 2013, 70 patients arrived at Örebro University Hospital with a ruptured AAA diagnose. Nine percent were considered unfit for any intervention (including OR) and were treated medically. All of the 64 patients that underwent surgery were treated with EVAR and 30-day mortality in this group was 17 of 64 patients (27%). The mortality for patients treated with adjunct techniques was not significantly increased compared with patients treated with standard EVAR. In conclusion, our data support that open repair of ruptured AAA can be replaced by EVAR with appropriate management of existing adjunct techniques.

Type II endoleak is a common phenomenon after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). The majority of type II endoleaks are considered benign, since approximately one third of them resolve spontaneously and they have no influence on mortality and rupture rate after EVAR. Thus, type II endoleak without sac expansion is recommended to be observed conservatively. Treatment for type II endoleak with sac expansion is still controversial. It has been reported that a certain type II endoleak causes sac expansion and late aneurysm rupture. Type II endoleak is often treated with solid agents as coils and vascular plugs or with liquid agents as different glues and thrombin. Onyx™ is a relatively new liquid embolic agents and it seems promising due to its capability to be injected in controlled manner with good visualization. Perisac embolization is another novel technique and it deals with all patent arterial branches, yet it requires further long-term studies. There are several access routes in treatment for type II endoleak. Translumbar approach seems more successful and safe than transarterial approach, and transcaval approach reduces the risk for infection compared to translumbar embolization. However, success rate of intervention for type II endoleak is unsatisfactory and recurrence rate is high. Endovascular treatment for type II endoleak is dependent on its nature and sometimes it can be challenging. Therefore, treatment for type II endoleak, including preventive embolization should be considered carefully and development of embolization methods is essential.

Occasionally, standard stent grafts are not usable in emergency aortic bleeding, and custom-made stent grafts are not practical as a replacement. We describe a novel technique for the repair of such aneurysms by using the catheter-delivered liquid to solid embolic agent Onyx (Micro Therapeutics Inc., Irvine, CA). Two patients with ruptured aortic aneurysm, where endovascular or open repair was not considered as feasible, were treated by internal sealing of the aneurysm with Onyx, resulting in stoppage of bleeding and further expansion of the aneurysm-the plugging and sealing technique.

As a consequence of the rapid growth of thoracic and abdominal endovascular aneurysm repair management of aortic branches has come into focus. The top-fenestrating technique can be used where one or two of the renal arteries, the left carotid artery or the left subclavian artery, have deliberately been covered by a stent-graft and immediately reopened by a preplaced stent. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether this technique is feasible and durable. Registry study on 24 patients endovascular repaired with the top-fenestrating technique between September 2004 and January 2008. Elective operations were performed in 15 patients and acute procedures in nine. The median neck length for the patients having a carotid stent was 0 mm, range -18-15, related to the left subclavian artery and median 11 mm, range 0-31 mm, for those having a renal stent. Altogether 25 stents were used. There were two postoperative deaths. One patient died from a cardiac infarction and the other, a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm, had a major stroke. Median follow-up time was 17 months (range 1-40 months). Two patients died during follow-up from no-aneurysm related reasons. One type I endoleak was solved with a secondary intervention. Two patients had type II endoleak, which was not treated. After 12 months, 71% of the aneurysms had significantly decreased in size. None of the aneurysms had increased. There were no stent-graft migrations in the entire group. None of the stented branches was lost during follow-up. The top-fenestrating technique is feasible in short aortic necks and results are durable in a mid-term follow-up perspective.

Purpose: To evaluate a technique for closure of a femoral artery access in which the cribriform fascia covering the common femoral artery is sutured. Methods: A...

Purpose: To compare endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) to the results with open surgery. Methods: Between May 200...