[Endovascular stent-graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm].
BACKGROUND
Endovascular stent-graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms was introduced in 1991. Long-term results from randomised studies are still not available. Aneurysm ruptures after stent-graft repair have been reported, and there has been a considerable need for redo procedures.


RESULTS
At Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway, 26 stent-graft implantations for abdominal aortic aneurysms were performed during the years 1996-2000, two of which were primary technical failures immediately converted to open repair. During follow-up, two patients have died from unrelated causes after six and 12 months. Eight patients were converted to open repair 8-50 months (median 31) after implantation. Indications for conversion were migration (n = 4), increasing aneurysm diameter (n = 3) and rupture (n = 1). Of the 14 patients still under observation, six have had one or more endovascular interventions (a total of 10) for failing graft.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous technology development has been used as an argument to postpone randomised studies, as improved results are expected with new generations of stent-grafts. There is a need for discussion of the strategy for the further use of endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Krohg-Sørensen
Kirsten
K
Thoraxkirurgisk avdeling, Rikshospitalet 0027 Oslo. kirsten.krohg-sorensen@rikshospitalet.no
Rostad
Hans
H
Geiran
Odd R
OR
Hafsahl
Geir
G
Fosse
Erik
E
D000368:Aged; D017546:Angioscopy; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends