Clinical analysis of non-anastomotic aneurysms of implanted prosthetic grafts.

PURPOSE

To investigate the features of non-anastomotic aneurysms (NAAs) of implanted prosthetic grafts through our case series and present a general review of NAAs.

METHODS

We studied retrospectively, a series of NAAs of seven grafts in six patients treated between 2001 and 2010, and reviewed the data on NAAs reported between 1962 and 2009.

RESULTS

The grafts in our series were implanted between 1986 and 2006. The primary surgical procedures were bypass between the axillary and femoral artery (n = 1), bypass between the subclavian artery and abdominal aorta (n = 1), bypass between the aorta and femoral artery (n = 1), bypass between the femoral and popliteal artery (n = 1), bypass between the femoral and femoral artery (n = 2), and bypass between the aorta and iliac artery (n = 1). The graft material was knitted Dacron in all cases and the implantation period ranged from 2.7 to 24 years (median 13.8 years). All NAAs originated from a hole in the graft. Reports of NAA have decreased dramatically, although according to the data, knitted Dacron accounted for 80 % of these implanted grafts.

CONCLUSIONS

Graft deterioration and the subsequent development of an NAA can occur even with the latest knitted Dacron grafts, even though the incidence is very low.