A single-centre experience of 200 consecutive unselected patients in percutaneous EVAR.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair (P-EVAR) in an "unselected" population of patients using Prostar XL closure device, comparing our results with the literature data reported for open EVAR (O-EVAR) and P-EVAR in selected populations.


METHODS
We prospectively enrolled 200 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms to be treated with the P-EVAR procedure, without any selection criteria. Four hundred percutaneous femoral accesses using the Prostar XL closure device were performed. The early follow-up protocol consisted of a Doppler ultrasound (US) examination. Later evaluations were performed with US and computed tomography.


RESULTS
Technical success was achieved in all percutaneous accesses (100 %). Ten early complications related to access site were recorded (10/400; 2.5 %): four pseudoaneurysms and six cases of lower limb ischaemia. Five of ten complications occurred in patients presenting calcification of the common femoral arteries, whereas 4/10 were in patients with "complex" groin anatomy. Eight of ten complications occurred at the access site of the main body of the prosthesis using a sheath size >20 Fr.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair in "unselected" patients is safe and efficient, with a very low risk of access-related complications, comparable to P-EVAR in selected populations and to the best O-EVAR series.
Unità Operativa Semplice dipartimentale di Radiologia Interventistica, Ente Ecclesiastico Ospedale Generale Regionale "F. Miulli", Acquaviva delle Fonti, BA, Italy, spetro@tiscali.it.
Sergio
S
Petronelli
Maria Teresa
MT
Zurlo
Silvia
S
Giambersio
Lucia
L
Danieli
Mariaelena
M
Occhipinti
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies