Macroporous polyester-covered stent in an experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm model.
OBJECTIVE
To validate a recently described animal model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and to assess a new macroporous polyester-covered stent for endovascular AAA exclusion.


METHODS
Twenty adult sheep had AAAs surgically created by replacing a segment of the infrarenal aorta with an autologous jugular venous graft. Three months later, surviving animals underwent percutaneous implantation of macroporous polyester-covered nitinol stents; 3 animals with untreated AAAs served as controls. Follow-up surveillance included spiral computed tomography at 1 month and digital subtraction angiography at 3 and 6 months. Endografted animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 6 months after implantation; specimens from all animals were examined grossly and microscopically.


RESULTS
Seven (35%) animals died within 24 hours of causes related to the technique; 1 animal developed paraplegia and was sacrificed on day 1. Three (25%) animals died of spontaneous aneurysm rupture at <10 days, and 6 received the stent-graft at 3 months. The macroporous cover did not prevent continued perfusion of the sac early after stent-graft deployment, but all aneurysms were excluded on the 1-month CT.


CONCLUSIONS
Spontaneous AAA rupture occurred earlier and was not as frequent as previously described for this model. Implantation of the covered stent was feasible, but aneurysm exclusion was not immediate.
Soula
P
P
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hôpital de Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
Janne d'Othée
B
B
Otal
P
P
Amin
C
C
Khoury
J E
JE
Delisle
M B
MB
Cérène
A
A
Joffre
F
F
Rousseau
H
H
D000818:Animals; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000401:mortality; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008297:Male; D011091:Polyesters; D012756:Sheep; D015607:Stents; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011091:Polyesters