title: Endoluminal grafting of abdominal aortic aneurysms: causes of failure and their prevention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze the causes of failure of endoluminal grafting for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and to put forward proposals for preventing these failures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since May 1992, endoluminal repair of aneurysms was undertaken in 47 patients. Forty-three of these patients had AAAs and are the basis of this study. All procedures were nonurgent and were performed in the operating room with the patient draped for an open repair in the event of failed endoluminal repair. Radiographic guidance was used to pass the endografts into the aorta via a delivery sheath introduced through the femoral or iliac arteries. The configuration of the endografts was tubular (n = 28), tapered aortoiliac/aortofemoral (n = 11), and bifurcated (n = 4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Successful endoluminal repair was achieved in 34 of 43 (79%) patients. The remaining nine were terminated in favor of an open repair. The causes of failure were problems with access (2), balloon malfunction (1), stent dislodgment (3), graft thrombosis (1), and inability to deploy the contralateral limb of a bifurcated graft (2). All failed endoluminal repairs proceeded to successful open repair. There was no perioperative mortality in patients undergoing endoluminal repair or in those whose endoluminal repair was converted to open operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The failures of endoluminal grafting have been analyzed. Methods of avoiding access problems, balloon malfunction, and stent dislodgment have been defined and recommendations made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Waugh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGahan
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D017211:Treatment Failure