title: [Endoleaks - when is treatment necessary?].
abstract: Currently the majority of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs are endovascular procedures using a stent graft. This method continues to be questioned due to an up to 50 % incidence of endoleaks, i.e. the postinterventional persistence of blood flow outside the graft and within the aneurysm sac, potentially bearing the risk of a further increase of the aneurysm diameter and aneurysm rupture. Currently a total of five different endoleak types can be distinguished. Multiphase computed tomography (CT) is the standard imaging method for the detection and classification of endoleaks or alternatively contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be used. The different types of endoleak have very different therapeutic implications. In direct endoleaks (types I and III) the systemic blood pressure is directly transferred to the aneurysm wall which carries a high risk of rupture and in general an immediate intervention is indicated. Indirect endoleaks (types II, IV and V) take a more benign course and in the majority of cases treatment is only necessary when further aneurysm expansion occurs.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Deutschland. oliver.dudeck@med.ovgu.de
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dudeck
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D057867:Endoleak / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome