Graft dilatation following abdominal aortic aneurysm resection and grafting.
BACKGROUND
It has been suggested that graft dilatation following repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with complications such as anastomotic aneurysm and graft rupture. The purpose of the present study was to document the degree of dilatation observed in grafts after aneurysm repair and to correlate this with any graft-related complications.


METHODS
Between January 1987 and December 1992, 219 patients had elective repair of their AAA at St George Hospital. A follow-up ultrasound scan was available for 154 of these patients. The following factors were examined: age, sex, size of aneurysm, type and size of graft, time of follow-up scan, size of graft at follow-up and any graft-related complications.


RESULTS
The mean graft dilatation observed in knitted grafts (42.6%; 95% CI: 39.1-46.1%) was significantly greater than that observed for woven grafts (25.5%; 95% CI: 19.0-32.1%; P < 0.0001). There were no graft-related complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Graft dilatation is a predictable phenomenon following AAA repair. It is more pronounced in knitted than in woven grafts, but does not necessarily lead to graft-related complications or failure.
Robinson
D A
DA
Department of Vascular Surgery, St George Hospital, Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia.
Lennox
A
A
Englund
R
R
Hanel
K C
KC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology
D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates