title: Visceral artery aneurysms: management of 48 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of endovascular treatment and open repair of visceral artery aneurysms, and to compare their results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1995 and January 2009, 42 patients (22 males) underwent surgical or endovascular treatment for visceral artery aneurysms. Mean age was 60 ± 13 (range, 35-85). Overall, 12 patients (25%) were asymptomatic, twenty-six patients (54.2%) were symptomatic, and 10 aneurysms (20.8%) were ruptured. The first 12 cases (28.6%) were treated with open repair; thereafter, endovascular techniques were used to treat 30 VAAs (71.4%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients were treated in emergency setting [8 in the endovascular group (26.6%) and 2 in the open repair group (16.7%), P=0.491]. In the endovascular group, primary technical success was achieved in 29 of 30 VAAs (96.6%). Overall in-hospital mortality was 2.4%. Major complications occurred in 8 patients (3 endovascular vs 5 open repair, P=0.01). Overall, mean hospitalization was 9.7 vs. 13 days (P<0.0001). Mean follow-up was 64 months (range, 3 months-14 years). In the endovascular group, reperfusion was higher in larger (>5 cm) aneurysms (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular techniques could be the first treatment option for all visceral artery aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgical Sciences, Varese University Hospital-University of Insubria Varese, Italy. gabriele.piffaretti@uninsubria.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piffaretti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lomazzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrafiello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariscalco
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000628:therapy; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D004630:Emergencies; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D014781:Viscera / Q000098:blood supply*