[Assessment of early complications in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular operations].
During past few years endovascular procedures at patients with abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) have widely replaced surgical treatment. The number of patients being operated by the use of this method has been growing.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to estimate early complications in patients with AAA treated by the use of bifurcated aortic stent-grafts.


METHODS
Between the May 2002 and April 2003, 42 patients were qualified to endovascular operations (of the average age of 65). All of them represented a group of high operative risk patients. Patients were operated in epidural anesthesia (n=36) and in general intravenous anesthesia (n=6). In all the patients angiography was performed right after the operation to estimate the efficacy of treatment. The follow-up examinations proceeded after 1, 3, and 6 months.


RESULTS
During the hospitalization, which lasted 7 days on average, clotting in one of the crura of the stent-graft in common iliac artery with the necessity of embolectomy, the some patient had to have an additional crossover by-pass implanted. There were also observed certain post-hospitalization complications which contained: a) clotting of stent-graft leg in one case, b) leak type I which demanded implantation of additional element of stent-graft in one case c) small leaks type I in 2 cases and type II in 2 cases which did not demand any further intervention, the type II leaks were observed in 3 cases 6 months after the operation, d) the increase of parietal circular thrombus inside the main part of the stent-graft in one case, e) complaints connected with the internal iliac artery occlusion were declared by one patient.


CONCLUSIONS
The early results of AAA treatment by the use of bifurcated stent-grafts are satisfactory and connected with low rate of complications. Most of the early complications is connected with wrong qualification of patients, improper stent-graft choice and technical errors during the operation. Constant, periodical follow-up examinations (USG, angio CT) are necessary to estimate the late results.
Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny, II Klinika Chirurgii Ogólnej Onkologicznej i Naczyniowej CSK MON w Warszawie. mmarusz@neostrada.pl
Marek
M
Maruszyński
Mirosław
M
Osiecki
Krzysztof
K
Staroń
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome