Results of endoluminal grafting of abdominal aortic aneurysms are dependent on aneurysm morphology

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the outcome of elective endoluminal grafting in patients with various morphologies of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Between May 1992 and May 1994, endoluminal repair of AAA was undertaken in 40 patients. After detailed imaging by means of CT scanning and arteriography, aneurysms were classified into one of two types according to the following criteria: type I (suitable for transfemoral implantation of a straight tube graft), AAA with a proximal neck (2 cm or longer), a distal neck (1.5 cm or longer), and an iliac artery diameter of 8 mm or greater (N = 19); or type II (requiring tapered aortoiliac or bifurcated grafts or access through an iliac approach), AAA that did not fit the type I criteria (N = 21). Radiographic guidance was used to pass the aortic endografts (38 Dacron and 2 PTFE) via a delivery sheath introduced through the femoral or iliac arteries into the aorta. The configuration of the aortic endografts was tubular in 26 patients, tapered aortoiliac in 11, and bifurcated in three. Successful endoluminal repair was achieved in 17 (89%) of 19 patients with type I AAA and in 15 (71%) of 21 patients with type II AAA. All failed endoluminal repairs proceeded to successful open repair, and there were no deaths during the period of hospitalization for the operation. The mean operative time and mean hospital stay were shorter in patients with type I AAA compared to patients with type II AAA. The incidence of postoperative complications was 37% in type I endoluminal repairs compared to 71% in type II endoluminal repairs. There was one cardiac death (procedure related) within 30 days, and there were three late deaths (one cardiac, one from liver failure in a type II AAA repair, and one from a ruptured esophagus in a type I repair). These preliminary results suggest that there is a better outcome in transfemoral endoluminal tube graft repair of aneurysms conforming to type I criteria compared to endoluminal repair of the more complex type II AAA.