[Use of stents in abdominal aortic aneurysms].
BACKGROUND
Endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms has acquired a widespread application. We present the results of endovascular treatment of infrarenal, abdominal aortic aneurysms in our hospital from 1995 through 2002.


METHODS
Seventy-one stent graft procedures were performed on 69 patients (64 men), mean age 72 years (range 48-96 years). Mean aneurysm diameter was 57 mm (range 35-100 mm). Sixty-nine procedures were elective and two were emergency procedures. All data were registered prospectively.


RESULTS
Two procedures failed initially because of technical problems. Both patients underwent a successful procedure later. Immediate conversion to open surgery was done in one case because of a collapse of the graft into the aneurysm sac. There was no 30-day mortality for elective procedures. The conversion rate after a mean observation time of 42 months was 11%. Late complications resulted in 47 re-interventions in 29 patients, of which 96% were done in cases treated with Stentor or Vanguard prostheses.


CONCLUSIONS
Endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms is an alternative to open surgery. Stent graft failure can be serious and difficult to predict. This treatment should not be recommended to patients younger than 70 years and fit for open surgery.
Laxdal
Elin
E
Karkirurgisk seksjon, Kirurgisk avdeling, Haukeland Universitetssykehus, 5021 Bergen. elin.laxdal@helse-bergen.no
Amundsen
Svein Roar
SR
Pedersen
Gustav
G
Dregelid
Einar Børre
EB
Aune
Steinar
S
Wirsching
Jan
J
Jenssen
Guttorm Lysvold
GL
Søvik
Kristian T
KT
D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*