Incidence and management of iliac artery aneurysms associated with endovascular treatment of juxtarenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

BACKGROUND

This study reports the clinical impact of iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs) in a population of patients with juxtarenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms being treated with fenestrated or branched aortic endografts.

METHODS

Data from 364 patients with IAA (33%) were extracted from the 1118 patients treated for juxtarenal or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms with a fenestrated or branched aortic endograft in a physician-sponsored investigational device exemption trial (2001-2016). IAAs were defined as ≥21 mm in diameter, as measured by an imaging core laboratory. Outcomes were assessed by univariate and multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

IAAs were unilateral in 219 (60%) and bilateral in 145 (40%) of the 364 patients. Treatment was iliac leg endoprosthesis without coverage of the hypogastric artery (seal distal to the IAA in the common iliac artery), placement of a hypogastric branched endograft in 105 (21%), and hypogastric artery coverage with extension into the external iliac artery in 103 (20%); 67 (13%) were untreated. Procedure duration was longer for those with IAA (5.3 ± 1.79 hours vs 4.6 ± 1.74 hours; P < .001), although hospital stay was not. There was no difference in aneurysm-related mortality and all-cause mortality for patients with unilateral and bilateral IAAs compared with those without an IAA. Treatment of patients with a hypogastric branched endograft had similar all-cause mortality compared with treatment of patients without a hypogastric branched endograft but also with an IAA. Reintervention rates were significantly higher in those with bilateral IAAs compared with no IAA (hazard ratio, 1.886; P < .001). Spinal cord ischemia trended higher in patients with bilateral IAA.

CONCLUSIONS

IAA management at the time of fenestrated or branched endovascular aneurysm repair increases procedure time without increasing hospitalization. The reintervention rate and spinal cord ischemia rate are higher in patients with bilateral IAA compared with those with no IAA.