A Prospective Analysis of Fenestrated Endovascular Grafting: Intermediate-term Outcomes

The aortic portion of the stent was initially flared with a 10mm balloon and subsequently with a latex compliant balloon. This had the effect of both aligning and maximizing the area of fenestration to wall contact.

Thirty endoleaks were visualized on the pre-discharge CT scan including seven type I and four type III endoleaks. The rest were type II endoleaks. Our practice of aggressively treating proximal type I and type III endoleaks in the post-operative accounts for the low incidence of late type I endoleaks.

Mean aneurysm size decreased from a 65mm pre-op. to 50mm at 3 years. Looked at from a different perspective 51% of patients had a decrease in aneurysm size of 5mm or more at 6 months and this increased to almost 80% at 3 years.

Kaplan–Meier estimate of the survival function for all-cause mortality, with point-wise 95% confidence limits; the ticks mark the censoring times. The survival function gives, at each possible time from implantation, the probability of surviving beyond that time.

A total of 22 renal stenoses and occlusions occurred in the course of follow-up including 12 renal artery stenoses and 10 renal artery occlusions. Overall five patients required either intermittent or permanent dialysis and this includes four patients with renal artery occlusions. All patients that required dialysis had preoperative renal insufficiency (GFR<60ml/min.)