Single centre experience with Excluder® stent graft; 17-year outcome
Article Category: Research Article
Published Online: Apr 13, 2022
Page range: 156 - 163
Received: Dec 19, 2021
Accepted: Feb 16, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2022-0008
© 2022 Ziga Snoj, Tjasa Tomazin, Vladka Salapura, Dimitrij Kuhelj, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Background
Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become a mainstay of abdominal aorta aneurysm treatment. Long term follow-up on specific stent grafts is needed.
Patients and methods
This study included 123 patients (104 men; mean age 73.0 years, range 51–89) with abdominal aorta aneurysm, treated with Excluder® stent graft between October 2002 and June 2008. Periprocedural and follow-up data were retrieved by reviewing the records of our institution, while time and cause of death were retrieved from the National Institute of Public Health. If an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture was listed as the cause of death, records were retrieved from the institution that issued the death certificate. Our primary goal was to assess the primary technical success rate, type 1 and type 2 endoleak, reintervention free survival, 30-day mortality, the overall survival and aneurysm rupture-free survival.
Results
The median follow-up was 9.7 years (interquartile range, 4.6–13.8). The primary technical success was 98.4% and the 30-day mortality accounted for 0.8%. Secondary procedures were performed in 29 (23.6%) patients during the follow-up period. The one-, five-, ten-, fifteen- and seventeen-year overall survival accounted for 94.3%, 74.0%, 47.2%, 35.8% and 35.8%, while the aneurysm-related survival was 98.4%, 96.3%, 92.6%, 92.6%, 92.6%. In seven (5.7%) patients, abdominal aortic rupture was found as the primary cause of death during follow-up.
Conclusions
Our data showed that EVAR with Excluder® stent graft offers good long-term results. More than 75% of patients can be treated completely percutaneously. Late ruptures do occur in the first ten years, raising awareness about regular medical controls.