Our purpose was to evaluate the risk associated with the learning curve of starting a complex aortic programme in an Eastern European country. A retrospective study was conducted involving the initial 20 patients (16 males, mean age: 65 ± 11 years) undergoing fenestrated/branched endovascular aortic repair in a single centre. Demographic, anatomical, procedural, and postoperative variables were collected. Our elective patient cohort consisted of 9 pararenal aneurysms (45%) and 11 thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (55%), with the latter including 4 chronic dissection cases (20%). A total of 71 branch vessels were incorporated (3.5 ± 0.9 per patient). The per vessel technical success rate was 100%. In-hospital mortality was 5% (1/20). At an average follow-up of 14 ± 22 months, the primary clinical success rate was 45% (9/20) and the secondary clinical success was achieved in 75% of cases (15/20). All-cause mortality at 14 months was 20% (4/20; aortic related: 1/20, 5%). Four bridging stent occlusions were found (5.6%). Mortality and reintervention rates were comparable to the initial results of high-volume centres, while the complexity of our cases and the per vessel technical success rate was comparable to the values reported as late experience. The morbidity of the learning curve could be decreased if operators are skilled in basic endovascular procedures.

Air embolism during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is associated to an incomplete deairing of the delivery system (DS) despite the saline lavage recommended by the instructions for use (IFU). As the DSs are identical, endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) can be used to examine the effectiveness of deairing maneuvers. We aimed to evaluate if a more complete deairing can be achieved with increasing the flush volume. EVAR patients were randomised according to flushing volume (Group A:1xIFU & Group B: 4xIFU). Air trapped in the aneurysm sac was quantified on pre-discharge CTA. 30 patients were enrolled and equally distributed between the two groups. There were no differences in any demographic or anatomical factors. Presence of air was less frequent in Group A than in Group B (7 (47%) vs. 13 (87%), p = .02), volume of air was less in Group A compared to Group B (103.5 ± 210.4 vs. 175.5 ± 175.0 mm3, p = .04). Volume of trapped air was higher with Anaconda graft type (p = .025). Increased flushing volume is associated with more trapped air, thus following the IFU might be associated with smaller risk of air embolization. Significant differences were identified between devices regarding the amount of trapped air.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Az infrarenalis aortaaneurysmák kezelésére alkalmazott endovascularis aortarekonstrukció (EVAR) hosszú távú sikerének egyik meghatározó tényezője a proximalis rögzítés minősége. A proximalis rögzítés minőségét rontó, ún. nehéz nyakkal rendelkező aneurysmák sikeres kezelésére fejlesztették ki az endocsavarozást, melynek során apró fémspirálokkal rögzítjük a beültetett sztentgraftot az aorta falához. Célkitűzés: Vizsgálatunk célja, hogy hazai beteganyagon elemezzük az endocsavarozással kiegészített EVAR-műtétek perioperatív és középtávú kockázatát. Módszerek: Retrospektív vizsgálatunk során a profilaktikus endocsavarozással kiegészített EVAR-műtéten átesett betegek adatainak analízisét végeztük. Demográfiai és kórelőzményi adatok, a műtétek és a kontrollvizsgálatok, illetve a képalkotó vizsgálatok eredményeit vizsgáltuk. Eredmények: 2019. január 1. és 2021. szeptember 30. között 14 esetben (11 férfi, átlagéletkor 70,4 ± 8,1 év) végeztünk profilaktikus endocsavarozással kiegészített EVAR-műtétet. Az esetek 86%-ában (12/14) nehéz nyak miatt történt az endocsavarozás, átlagosan 6,4 ± 1,7 csavar felhasználásával. Technikai szövődmény nem lépett fel. A 7,0 ± 9,9 hónapos átlagos követési idő alatt mechanikai szövődményt, tartós Ia típusú endoleaket nem észleltünk. Reintervenció nem történt. A követés alatt egy beteget vesztettünk el aortával nem összefüggő betegségben, így a mortalitási arány 7% (1/14), a klinikai sikerarány 92,9% (13/14). Megbeszélés: Az Európai Érsebészeti Társaság által 2019-ben kiadott irányelv az endocsavarok alkalmazását randomizált vizsgálat hiányában csak klinikai vizsgálat keretében javasolja. A közelmúltban megjelent metaanalízis, illetve nemzetközi regiszter adatain alapuló publikáció eredményeivel összhangban jelen vizsgálatunk során is 90% feletti technikai sikerarányt, alacsony komplikációs rátát és magas Ia endoleak mentességet találtunk. Következtetés: Nagy kockázatú betegcsoporton igazoltuk a Medtronic Heli-FX rendszer hatékonyságát. A módszer sikeresen és biztonságosan alkalmazható nehéz nyakkal komplikált infrarenalis aneurysmák endovascularis kezelésére. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(16): 631–636. Summary. Introduction: Endosuturing, which involves the use of metal screws to fix the implanted stent graft to the aortic wall, was developed as an adjunctive procedure of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) to treat aneurysms with hostile neck. Objective: The aim of our study was to analyse the perioperative and mid-term risk of EVAR surgery with endosuturing in a Hungarian patient population. Methods: In our retrospective study, we analysed data from patients undergoing EVAR surgery augmented with prophylactic endosuturing. Demographic and anamnestic data, results of surgery and follow-up examinations and imaging studies were analyzed. Results: Between January 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021, 14 cases (11 men, mean age 70.4 ± 8.1 years) underwent EVAR surgery with prophylactic endosuturing. In 86% of cases (12/14), endosuturing was performed due to a hostile neck, using an average of 6.4 ± 1.7 screws. No technical complications occurred. No mechanical complications or persistent Ia endoleak were observed during the mean follow-up of 7.0 ± 9.9 months. Reintervention did not occur. One patient was lost during follow-up due to a disease unrelated to the aorta, resulting in a mortality rate of 7% (1/14) and a clinical success rate of 92.9% (13/14). Discussion: In accordance with recent publications, we found a low complication rate and a technical success rate above 90%. Conclusion: We demonstrated the efficacy of the Medtronic Heli-FX system in a high-risk patient population. The technique can be successfully and safely used for endovascular treatment of infrarenal aneurysms complicated with hostile neck. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(16): 631–636.

The first-line treatment of common iliac artery aneurysms is endovascular repair. International guidelines recommend the preservation of the internal iliac artery, which is best achieved by the implantation of an iliac bifurcation device (IBD). Our aim was to evaluate the initial midterm results of IBDs in the leading vascular center of Hungary. In this single-center retrospective study, relevant clinical data and the results of the imaging examinations were collected and analyzed in all patients who underwent IBD implantation between December 2010 and July 2021. Thirty-five patients (31 males, mean age: 67.9 ± 8.5 years) underwent endovascular treatment with 37 IBD implantations. Technical success was achieved in 88.2% of the patients, with no perioperative mortality or open surgical conversion. One patient was lost during follow-up. Internal iliac artery occlusion was detected in three (8.8%) patients, and reintervention was performed in five (14.7%) patients. Primary patency of the internal iliac branch was 97.1% at 1 month, 93% at 2 months, and 89.0% at 5 years. The average follow-up time was 20.1 ± 26.2 months, during which two (5.9%) deaths occurred. Our initial experience with iliac branch devices was associated with a low complication rate and a favorable outcome, which confirms the midterm success of this intervention.