Waligraft endoprosthesis for the percutaneous treatment of femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms.
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.
Howell
Marcus
M
Texas Heart Institute, Houston, USA.
Krajcer
Zvonimir
Z
Diethrich
Edward B
EB
Motarjeme
Amir
A
Bacharach
Michael
M
Dolmatch
Bart
B
Walker
Craig
C
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
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible