Straight aortic endograft in abdominal aortic disease

Background: We describe our 8-year experience with the use of endovascular techniques (ET) for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) through a straight endograft. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of all patients who were treated for AAA using ET in two centres from 1998 to 2012 and who received a single straight endograft (group A) or a double straight tube (group B). Outcomes were analyzed to assess survival, absence of endoleak and absence of reintervention for both groups. Log-rank and Chi-Square were used as appropriate to make comparison between the two groups. P values <.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Fifty-three patients from 1998 to May 2012 were treated for AAA using a straight endograft. In 28 cases (52.8%) a single aortic straight tube was used (Group A), while in the remaining cases a "double trombone technique" was used (Group B). Primary success was obtained in 52 cases (98.1%). In one patient of group A immediately after the operation we observed a type Ia endoleak, which was correct with a proximal aortic cuff. Fluoroscopy time, operation time, amount of intraprocedural contrast medium and blood loss were slightly higher for group B, even if not significantly. Mortality at 30 days was nil for both groups. Mean follow-up was 49 months (range 2-153 months). Five patients died in group A, four of them for a neoplastic disease and the remaining for aortic rupture. No patients died in group B. Endoleaks occurred more frequently in patients of group A (5 type I endoleaks and 1 type II endoleak from a lumbar artery). Reintervention were more frequent for patients of group A, being type I endoleak the main cause. A stent fracture was observed in a patient who received EVAR by "trombone technique" 3 months later. Reintervention was then necessary and a third stent was successfully placed to cover the lesion. Conclusions: In our experience the endovascular repair of AAA using straight aortic endografts was a safe and effective technique. Reintervention and endoleaks were slightly more frequent in patients who had received a single endograft compared to patients who were treated using the "trombone technique".