title: Waligraft endoprosthesis for the percutaneous treatment of femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 1997 to April 2000, 17 patients (13 men; mean age 73.5 +/- 7.1 years) with 7 femoral and 13 popliteal artery aneurysms underwent percutaneous aneurysm exclusion using the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis as part of a larger clinical trial. The mean aneurysm diameters were 37.6 +/- 12.9 mm and 22.3 +/- 8.7 mm, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute procedural success was 100% for femoral aneurysms and 92.3% (12/13) in the popliteal artery owing to one endoleak that resolved after 1 month. There were no complications, and the mean length of stay was 2.2 +/- 3.8 days. Six-month and 1-year aneurysm exclusion rates were 100% for both locations, but 4 (31%) popliteal stent-grafts thrombosed in follow-up. Three were recanalized, but the fourth underwent bypass grafting after 3 thrombotic episodes. The 1-year primary and secondary patency rates were both 100% for the femoral aneurysms and 69% and 92%, respectively, for popliteal repairs. No procedure or device-related deaths occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of aneurysms in the femoropopliteal segment appears to be safe and effective with the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis, although longer follow-up in a larger patient group will be needed to determine this technique's potential versus surgical repair.
authors.affiliation: Texas Heart Institute, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Zvonimir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krajcer
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Diethrich
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motarjeme
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bacharach
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dolmatch
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011859:Radiography; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible