Outcome and Safety of Aorfix™ Stent Graft in Highly Angulated Necks – A Prospective Observational Study (Arbiter 2)

Side-by-side deployment of gore excluder legs at a narrow terminal aorta for endovascular aneurysm repair

PURPOSE

A narrow terminal aorta is a risk factor for endograft occlusion after endovascular aneurysm repair. To minimize limb complications, we used Gore Excluder legs positioned side-by-side at the terminal aorta. We investigated the outcomes of our strategy for endovascular aneurysm repair in patients with a narrow terminal aorta.

METHODS

We enrolled 61 patients who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair with a narrow terminal aorta (defined as < 18 mm in diameter) from April 2013 to October 2021. The standard procedure involves complete treatment with the Gore Excluder device. When other types of main body endografts were used, they were deployed proximal to the terminal aorta, and we used the Gore Excluder leg device in the bilateral limbs. Postoperatively, the intraluminal diameter of the legs at the terminal aorta was measured to assess the configuration.

RESULTS

During the follow-up period (mean: 2.7 ± 2.0 years), there were no aorta-related deaths, endograft occlusions, or leg-related re-interventions. There were no significant differences between the pre- and postoperative ankle-brachial pressure index values in the dominant and non-dominant legs (p = 0.44 and p = 0.17, respectively). Postoperatively, the mean difference rate (defined as [dominant leg diameter-non-dominant leg diameter]/terminal aorta diameter) was 7.5 ± 7.1%. The difference rate was not significantly correlated with the terminal aortic diameter, calcification thickness, or circumferential calcification (r = 0.16, p = 0.22; r = 0.07, p = 0.59; and r = - 0.07, p = 0.61, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Side-by-side deployment of Gore Excluder legs produces acceptable outcomes for endovascular aneurysm repair with a narrow terminal aorta. The endograft expansion at the terminal aorta is tolerable without influencing calcification distribution.

Novel conformable stent-graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms with hostile neck anatomy: A single-centre experience

OBJECTIVES

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) demonstrating hostile neck anatomy (HNA) are associated with increased perioperative risk and mortality. A number of these patients are not suitable for standard endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and are high risk for open surgery. We present our experience with the first implantations in Scotland of a novel conformable aortic stent-graft designed to overcome some of the challenges of HNAs.

METHODS

From May 2018 to March 2022, 24 consecutive patients with non-ruptured AAAs demonstrating HNAs (neck length < 15 mm, or angulation > 60°) were treated with GORE Excluder Conformable AAA endoprosthesis (CLEVAR) (CEXC Device, W.L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) at a Scottish vascular centre. We assessed clinical outcomes and technical success of CLEVAR during deployment, primary admission and the post-operative period at 3- and 12-month clinical follow-up alongside CT angiography.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients (20 males, mean age 75.6) were included. Primary technical success of proximal seal zones and CLEVAR deployment (no type 1/3 endoleaks, no conversion to open repair, AAA excluded and patient leaving theatre alive) was achieved in 100% of patients. All patients were alive and clinically stable at 3- and 12-month follow-up. There were five patients requiring re-intervention; at the 3-month follow-up, one patient (4.2%) developed a type 1b endoleak requiring graft limb extension, one patient developed a right common femoral artery dissection requiring open repair and one patient required a limb extension of the right iliac limb due to risk of developing a type 1b endoleak. At the 12-month follow-up, two patients required embolization of type 2 endoleaks and no patients demonstrated type 1 or type 3 endoleaks.Conclusions: In-hospital and post-operative 3- and 12-month clinical and angiographic outcomes demonstrate safety and efficacy with CLEVARs in treating unruptured AAAs with HNA. Further research involving larger heterogenous sample sizes is warranted to determine long-term clinical outcomes.

A Systematic Review of the Recruitment and Outcome Reporting by Sex and Race/Ethnicity in Stent Device Development Trials for Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

BACKGROUND

Women and racial/ethnic minority groups have been shown to experience poor outcomes after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). One potential reason is the rare inclusion of these populations in initial phases of device development. The objective of this systematic review is to understand enrollment and outcome reporting by sex and race/ethnicity in industry-funded EVAR device development trials.

METHODS

MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase were searched from inception to January 2022 without language restrictions using the following terminology: "stent", "graft", "endograft", "device", and "abdominal aortic aneurysm" (AAA).

CLINICALTRIALS

gov was also searched from inception to January 2022 for "AAA." Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data. All phase I-III and postmarket evaluation trials that included patients ≥18 years of age, who underwent EVAR were assessed. Participation-to-prevalence ratios (PPRs) were calculated to estimate representation of participants by sex and race/ethnicity in trials compared with their share of disease burden.

RESULTS

Among the 4,780 retrieved articles, 55 industry-funded trials met inclusion criteria for this review. A total of 51 trials (93%) reported enrollment by sex/gender, and only 7 trials (13%) reported enrollment by race/ethnicity of the participants. A median of 19 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.5, 51) women participants were recruited compared to 171 (IQR: 57, 311.5) men, and 17 (IQR: 7.5, 21.5) racial/minority patients were recruited compared to 241 (IQR: 123, 463.5) White participants. Women represent 16.6% of the disease population, and the median PPR is 0.62 (IQR: 0.42, 0.88), which has remained constant over time (Figure 1). None of the device trials reported outcomes based on sex/gender or race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review highlights the disparities in recruitment and outcome reporting based on sex and race/ethnicity in EVAR device development trials. While most trials may be underpowered to study these differences, recent registry studies show differential outcomes based on sex and race/ethnicity of vascular patients. Therefore, it is imperative to include and report outcomes in these participants, starting from the initial device development phases to improve generalizability of device-use and understand sources of variation in device performance.

Endografts for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms with a hostile neck anatomy: A systematic review

Background

Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has emerged as a better alternative to conventional open surgery for AAAs. The purpose of the review is to define the improvement in the clinical management of the patient with hostile neck AAAs due to the introduction of new endografts while giving a thorough description of their instructions for use (IFUs), main characteristics and part sizing, reporting their outcomes from clinical studies and categorizing their usability.

Methods

A MEDLINE search was conducted using keyword-specific combinations. Clinical studies were searched via the clinicaltrials.gov website. Relevant articles' references were also hand-searched.

Results

We retrieved 640 records describing Alto, Ovation iX, Treovance, Aorfix, Anaconda, Conformable, and Endurant II/IIs endografts. Aortic necks >60° can be managed with Anaconda, Aorfix, and Conformable, which can treat up to 90° necks requiring ≥15 mm (Anaconda ≥20 mm), and Treovance, which is eligible for necks ≤75° with ≥15 mm length. Ovation's innovation of combining polymer-filled O-rings with integral anchors can treat conical necked AAAs giving Ovation iX and Alto an advantage. Short-necked AAAs can be treated with Alto, eligible for necks as short as 7 mm, and Endurant II, which can treat ≥10 mm necks or 4 mm if used in conjunction with the EndoAnchors system, respectively. Alto and Conformable report a 100% technical success rate, absence of AAA-related death, migration, ruptures, and limb occlusion during follow-up. Endurant II and Ovation iX report >99% technical success rate and are almost free from the AAA mortality rate, ruptures, migration, and limb occlusion, while Ovation iX has a high rate of sac dilation (15.5%) in a 5-year follow-up. Anaconda is slightly better than Aorfix and Treovance, which are related to the lowest technical success rates, 98.3%, 96.3%, and 96%, respectively. Aorfix has the highest AAA mortality rate, 4% in a 60 month follow-up.

Conclusion

Most new generation endografts described have comparable results. They broaden the eligibility of patients for EVAR due to their unique technical characteristics described. There is a lack of comparative studies for newer endografts and postmarket clinical studies with long-term results concerning the most recently approved devices described, Alto and Conformable.

Technical success and outcomes using a flexible bifurcated stent graft (AorfixTM) in abdominal aortic aneurysms: a systematic review

Introduction: The Aorfix aortic stent graft is a modular device with greater compliance and flexibility. This systematic review aims to assess the evidence regarding the technical success and outcomes of the Aorfix^TM stent graft.Methods: Electronic bibliographic databases were searched. We conducted our review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement standards.Results: This review of the 442 documented cases of Aorfix^TM EVAR demonstrates assisted technical success to be achieved in 97.7% of cases. The need for unplanned adjunct maneuvers was low at 9.8% and was most commonly required for resolving an intra-operative type I endoleak. The need for secondary intervention in the 1-year follow up period was even lower, at 1.3% in the same eight studies, while Malas et al reports a re-intervention rate of 7.8% at 1-year.Conclusion: The Aorfix^TM device has been used in AAA with highly angulated proximal necks with success, with acceptable short- and midterm results. But larger multi-center comparative studies, and registry data is needed to be to compare the safety of different stent grafts and for optimal graft selection. This will increase the likely number of patients considered suitable for EVAR.

Reporting of Complications and Mortality in Relation to Risk Communication in Patients with an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

High-quality reporting of surgical risks is necessary for evidence-based risk communication in clinical practice. Risk communication is defined as the process of discussing benefits and harms of treatment options with patients. This review addressed the current quality of reporting of complications and mortality in publications on abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment, with a focus on items relevant to risk communication.

DESIGN

A systematic review.

MATERIALS

Randomised clinical trials, comparative observational studies and registries from 2010 onwards were eligible if they reported complications and/or mortality in patients with an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms who received primary treatment.

METHODS

Quality of reporting was assessed by scoring items relevant to risk communication from the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. Screening, quality assessment and data extraction were independently undertaken by two authors.

RESULTS

Forty-seven publications were included. Nine of 47 publications (19%) provided no definition of complications. In 14 of 47 publications (30%), it was unclear whether the number of adverse events or the number of patients with adverse events were presented. Absolute risk differences were provided in 1 of 32 publications (3.1%) that compared complications between two treatment options. Forty-six of 47 publications reported mortality, of which 42 reported overall mortality rates (91%). Absolute risk differences were given in 2 of the 31 publications (6.5%) that compared mortality between two treatment options.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of reporting of complications and mortality following primary abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment varied considerably. Better adherence to the SVS reporting standards and the CONSORT statement, as well as stating absolute risk differences may improve the quality of reporting and facilitate evidence-based risk communication.

Stent Graft Using Kilt Technique for an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with a Severely Angulated Neck

Endovascular aneurysm repair has become a standard treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However a severely angulated aneurysmal neck is one of the most common anatomical limitations of endovascular repair, and is associated with poor outcomes. We successfully treated a patient who had an abdominal aortic aneurysm with a severely angulated aortic neck using kilt technique with thoracic stent graft. The technique might be an excellent alternative strategy to overcome anatomical obstacles like a hostile aortic neck.

Current aortic endografts for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair is a widely adopted method of treatment for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. The minimally invasive approach offered with EVAR has become popular not only among physicians and patients, but in the medical device industry as well. Over the past 25 years the global market for aortic endografts has increased rapidly, resulting in a wide range of devices from various companies. Currently, there are seven endografts approved by the FDA for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. These devices offer a wide range of designs intended to increase inclusion criteria while decreasing technical complications such as endoleak and migration. Despite advances in device design, secondary interventions and follow-up requirements remain a significant issue. New devices are currently being studied in the U.S. and abroad and may significantly reduce complications and secondary interventions.

Update on the use of abdominal and thoracic endografts for treating aortic aneurysms

Endovascular abdominal and thoracic aneurysm repair has heralded a paradigm shift in the management of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. Randomized controlled trials have suggested superior short-term and equivalent long-term outcomes of endovascular repair compared with open surgery. Existing endografts have undergone several modifications to meet anatomic challenges and improve patient results. In the past, endovascular repair has been limited to infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms and isolated thoracic aortic aneurysms. The advent of fenestrated and branched endografts have made endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal and juxtarenal aneurysms possible. Continued evolution of endograft technology will maximize the benefit and minimize complications in patients with a range of aneurysmal disease.

Advanced Endovascular Approaches in the Management of Challenging Proximal Aortic Neck Anatomy: Traditional Endografts and the Snorkel Technique

Advances in endovascular technology, and access to this technology, have significantly changed the field of vascular surgery. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), in which endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has replaced the traditional open surgical approach in patients with suitable anatomy. However, approximately one-third of patients presenting with AAAs are deemed ineligible for standard EVAR because of anatomic constraints, the majority of which involve the proximal aneurysmal neck. To overcome these challenges, a bevy of endovascular approaches have been developed to either enhance stent graft fixation at the proximal neck or extend the proximal landing zone to allow adequate apposition to the aortic wall and thus aneurysm exclusion. This article is composed of two sections that together address new endovascular approaches for treating aortic aneurysms with difficult proximal neck anatomy. The first section will explore advancements in the traditional EVAR approach for hostile neck anatomy that maximize the use of the native proximal landing zone; the second section will discuss a technique that was developed to extend the native proximal landing zone and maintain perfusion to vital aortic branches using common, off-the-shelf components: the snorkel technique. While the techniques presented differ in terms of approach, the available clinical data, albeit limited, support the notion that they may both have roles in the treatment algorithm for patients with challenging proximal neck anatomy.

3D printing of an aortic aneurysm to facilitate decision making and device selection for endovascular aneurysm repair in complex neck anatomy

PURPOSE

To describe rapid prototyping or 3-dimensional (3D) printing of aneurysms with complex neck anatomy to facilitate endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).

CASE REPORT

A 75-year-old man had a 6.6-cm infrarenal aortic aneurysm that appeared on computed tomographic angiography to have a sharp neck angulation of ~90°. However, although the computed tomography (CT) data were analyzed using centerline of flow, the true neck length and relations of the ostial origins were difficult to determine. No multidisciplinary consensus could be reached as to which stent-graft to use owing to these borderline features of the neck anatomy. Based on past experience with rapid prototyping technology, a decision was taken to print a model of the aneurysm to aid in visualization of the neck anatomy. The CT data were segmented, processed, and converted into a stereolithographic format representing the lumen as a 3D volume, from which a full-sized replica was printed within 24 hours. The model demonstrated that the neck was adequate for stent-graft repair using the Aorfix device.

CONCLUSION

Rapid prototyping of aortic aneurysms is feasible and can aid decision making and device delivery. Further work is required to test the value of 3D replicas in planning procedures and their impact on procedure time, radiation dose, and procedure cost.

Treatment of Hostile Proximal Necks During Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a therapy that continues to evolve rapidly as advances in technology are incorporated into new generations of devices and surgical practice. Although EVAR has emerged as a safe and effective treatment for patients with favorable anatomy, treatment of patients with unfavorable anatomy remains controversial and is still an off-label indication for endovascular treatment with some current stent-grafts. The proximal neck of the aneurysm remains the most hostile anatomic barrier to successful endovascular repair with long-term durability. Open surgery for unfavorable necks is still considered the gold standard treatment in contemporary practice, despite the increased mortality and morbidity attributed to suprarenal cross-clamping, particularly in high-risk patients. Evolving technology may overcome the obstacles preventing endovascular treatment of unfavorable proximal neck anatomy; current approaches include purely endovascular as well as hybrid approaches, and generally include strategies that either extend the length of the short neck, move the proximal neck more proximally, or keep the short neck intact. These approaches include the use of debranching techniques, banding, chimneys, fenestrated and branched devices, filling the sac with endobags, endoanchors, and other novel devices. These newer-generation devices appear to have promising short- and midterm results. However, lack of good evidence of efficacy with long-term results for these newer approaches still precludes wide dissemination of endovascular solutions for the hostile proximal neck.

Vascular Endostapling Systems for Vascular Endografts (T)EVAR—Systematic Review—Current State

Purpose:

Recently, vascular endostapling systems were developed to achieve better sealing at the proximal neck of the aneurysm and to prevent endograft migration. The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic review about the current state and possible options of vascular endostapling systems.

Results:

No randomized controlled trials were published. The results showed that the use of an endostaple system considerably reduced the rates of endoleaks type 1a and endograft migration. Regarding the use of endostaples in different types of endografts, only a few results were available.

Conclusion:

The results are not conclusive. With endostaple systems, patients with difficult anatomic features and high risk can potentially be treated. These systems might reduce the high reintervention rates after endovascular aneurysm repair. Controlled randomized trials with larger number of patients are warranted with endostapling use in primary endograft implantation and for use in reintervention for late endoleaks or endograft migrations.

Technical advances with newer aortic endografts provide additional support to withhold the early endovascular repair of small abdominal aortic aneurysms until it is really needed

The idea of early endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of "small" abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has gained attention over "watchful waiting," mostly due to the concern for losing the anatomic suitability for endovascular repair over time. Generally, small AAAs have longer, smaller, less angulated necks, and less tortuous iliac arteries than larger ones. Though the borderline anatomic characteristics were assumed to be contraindications for older generation endografts, the modifications of modern devices seem promising to overcome those limitations, in order to treat the small AAAs when reaching the 5.5 cm threshold. Moreover, early endovascular intervention has been proven neither cost effective nor beneficial for the patients' quality of life. This article evaluates the technical progress that could overcome the difficulties of those small AAAs that present technically demanding anatomies, thus advocating endovascular intervention when they reach the diameter threshold.

Early results of the Endurant endograft system in patients with friendly and hostile infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm anatomy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and compare the outcome after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with the newly released Endurant endograft system in patients with different aortoiliac anatomic characteristics.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective observational study assigning patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) treated with the Endurant endoprosthesis from February 2009 to March 2010. Two groups were studied, according to the presence of a friendly (group I [GI] = 43) or hostile (group II [GII] = 34) infrarenal aortoiliac anatomy. Hostile profile was defined as any (or combination) of the following measurements: 5 mm ≤ proximal neck length (Lpr) ≤ 12 mm, 60° < proximal neck angle (A°pr) ≤ 90° and 60° < any iliac axis angle (A°iliac) ≤ 90°. Primary end points included technical and clinical success, freedom from early or late secondary interventions, any type of endoleak, and aneurysm-related death. All outcome measures were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log rank test was applied for comparisons between the groups.

RESULTS

The mean comorbid severity scoring was higher in GII (P = .018). The mean follow-up period in GI and GII was 12.9 ± 3.9 months (± SD, range: 6.4-19.8) and 12.4 ± 4 months (range: 4.2-19.6), respectively. Two unplanned conversions to aortouniiliac configurations were required in GI. The technical success rate in GI and GII was 95.4% and 100%, respectively. The requirement for intentional occlusion of the internal iliac artery, the requirement for cross-limb technique, the necessity of troubleshooting techniques, the procedure and radiation times, the frequency of postimplantation syndrome, and mean hospital stay were significantly higher in GII (P = .028, P = .013, P = .005, P = .037, P < .001, P = .032, P = .021, respectively). Two patients of GI died in the early postoperative period (one aneurysm but not device-related death), whereas no deaths in GII were recorded, yielding an overall 30-day mortality rate of 2.3%. No type I/III endoleaks were recorded up to the end of the study. Freedom from any type of endoleak, early or late secondary interventions, and aneurysm-related death at 12 months were found in 93.2%, 87.1%, and 93.3% of GI patients; respective values for GII were 86% (P = .21), 93.4% (P = .066), and 93.4%. The clinical success rate was 82.1% and 100% at 12 months for GI and GII, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Early (12 months) results suggest similar clinical performance of the Endurant stent graft system in endovascular treatment of AAAs with friendly and hostile anatomies, however, demonstrating more intra- and perioperative adversities for the last group. Larger prospective studies or even randomized trials comparing different new generation graft models are required to evaluate the comparable long-term results and possible expansion of EVAR indications for this specific endograft in adverse anatomies.