Effectiveness of embolic protection filter devices in stroke prevention during endovascular aortic arch repair in significant aortic atheroma patients.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of embolic protection filter device in stroke prevention during hybrid endovascular arch repair in patients with significant aortic atheroma.

METHODS

Twenty-two patients (20 men, mean age 79.0 years, mean logistic EuroSCORE 23.9%) with aortic arch/proximal descending aortic diseases and significant aortic atheroma (atheroma grade ≥ II) who were deemed unfit for conventional open surgery underwent endovascular aortic arch repair with protection of the supra-arch vessels using a balloon catheter and filter devices. The effectiveness in preventing stroke was evaluated by a postoperative neurological examination protocol, which was followed by neuroimaging with computed tomography/DW-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study in cases with neurological deficits.

RESULTS

The atheroma grades of the aortic arch were II, III and IV in 36%, 14% and 50% of the patients, respectively. In total, 37 filter devices were placed in the supra-aortic vessels (5 brachiocephalic arteries, 23 carotid arteries, 5 subclavian arteries and 4 vertebral arteries). Technical success was achieved in all patients, and 30-day mortality was 4.5% (1/22 cases). Two (9.1%) cases showed neurological symptomatic stroke postoperatively. With DW-MRI examination, a major new region was detected in the filter-protected left carotid artery in one case and in the balloon-protected left vertebral artery in another case.

CONCLUSIONS

In high-risk patients with significant aortic arch atheroma, hybrid endovascular aortic arch repair with embolic protection using a filter device showed satisfactory early results. Filter protection could be an attractive adjunct manoeuvre for preventing critical stroke during endovascular arch repair.