title: Are type II (branch vessel) endoleaks really benign?
abstract: The natural history and clinical significance of type II or branch vessel endoleaks following endovascular aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair remain unclear. Some investigators have suggested that these endoleaks have a benign course and outcome and that they can be safely observed. The purpose of this study was to document the natural history and outcome of all type II endoleaks that have occurred following endovascular AAA repair at our institution. A review of a prospectively compiled database of all endovascular AAA repairs performed at our institution was performed. From this review, we determined that type II endoleaks appear to have a relatively benign course, with a reasonable chance of spontaneously sealing within a 2-year period. No cases of rupture or aneurysm enlargement were documented in patients with open type II leaks. However, almost one-third of the patients did not manifest a type II leak until after their initial CT scan. The implications of such a "delayed" leak are unclear. Careful follow-up remains mandatory in patients with type II endoleaks to better define outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Sonya N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Tuerff
authors.forename: Caron B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Rockman
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lamparello
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Adelman
authors.forename: Glenn R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Jacobowitz
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gagne
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nalbandian
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weiswasser
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Riles
mesh_terms: D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome