Percutaneous repair of aortic aneurysms: a prospective study of suture-mediated closure devices

To evaluate prospectively the safety and efficacy of totally percutaneous placement of abdominal and thoracic aortic endografts using the Prostar XL suture-mediated closure system.

From January 2002 to January 2005, we attempted to insert percutaneously all bifurcated abdominal aortic and thoracic endografts. Consecutive patients (25 men, four women), with mean age 74.9 years (range 44-84), underwent endovascular repair for 20 abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and nine thoracic aortic aneurysms (repeat operation in one case). Endografts used included 21 Zenith (Cook), eight Talent (Medtronic), one AneuRx (Medtronic). For the <> technique, two Prostar XL 8F were used to close 22-24F access sites and one Prostar XL 10F to close 16F access sites.

Procedural success was achieved in 21/29 (72.4%) patients and in 39/47 access sites (83%). Closure of 22-24F access sites with tandem 8F Prostar devices was successful in 23/29 (79.3%) cases. Closure of 16F access sites with 10F Prostar device was successful in 16/18 (88.8%) cases. There were seven peri-procedural failures requiring surgery to repair the femoral artery in three cases. Four access complications healed without intervention. Overall 25/29 (86.2%) patients had complete percutaneous repair. No late complications were detected during follow-up (median 17.5 months).

Percutaneous treatment of patients with AAA and thoracic aneurysms is feasible in most cases, with a very low risk of access-related complication, providing that the operator has sufficient practical experience of this technique.