Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm: Limitations of the single proximal stent technique

Abstract

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has been performed using both a single proximal stent technique and a double (proximal and distal) stent method to anchor a graft in the aneurysm lumen. This study examined the effect of the single proximal stent technique on femoral artery blood flow, renal function and the occurrence of back-bleeding into the aneurysm sac in a canine model; eight dogs were used. Femoral artery blood flow and glomerular filtration rate were not affected by graft–stent insertion. Two graft–stent combinations failed to deploy in the correct position and led to graft thrombosis in one case. The six correctly positioned grafts all showed back-bleeding from around the distal end into the aneurysm sac. The single proximal stent technique for endovascular repair of AAA is inadequate and attention should continue to focus on a double (proximal and distal) stent method or a bifurcated system.