title: Initial and midterm results for repair of aortic diseases with handmade stent grafts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the initial and midterm results for repair of thoracic and abdominal aortic diseases using handmade stent-grafts (SGs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1999 and 2004, 41 consecutive patients (31 patients with thoracic and 10 patients with abdominal aortic disease) underwent endovascular stent-graft repair using handmade SGs. The follow-up averaged 24.8+/-17.6 months. The technical and initial clinical success rates were 82.9% (34/41) and 80.5% (33/41), respectively. Primary type I or III endoleaks occurred in 12.2% (5/41) of the patients. The hospital mortality rate was 4.9% (2/41). Persistent type I or III endoleaks occurred in 9.8% (4/41) and SG migrations occurred in 4.9% (2/41) of the patients. Open surgical conversion was undertaken in 12.2% (5/41) of the patients because of an endoleak and/or migration. The mean change observed in the aneurysm diameter was -6.2+/-10.5 mm, and shrinkage in the diameter occurred in 51.4% (18/35) of the cases. There was 1 patient death because of aneurysm rupture. Neither stent fracture nor graft hole was observed. The overall clinical success rate during follow-up was 78.0% (32/41).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The initial and midterm results obtained after repair of the aortic diseases using handmade SGs were considered to be satisfactory. More surgical experience and long-term patient follow-up are both required to further reassess the effect of this treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onitsuka
authors.forename: Atsuhisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akaiwa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokokura
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects