Endovascular treatment of visceral artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms: our experience

The aim of this study was to analyse our 8 years of experience with endovascular treatment of visceral aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms.

From January 2002 to September 2009, we used an endovascular approach to treat 30 patients (22 men, eight women) affected by aneurysm (n=18) or pseudoaneurysm (n=13) of the splenic (n=11), hepatic (n=6), renal (n=5), pancreaticoduodenal (n=3), left gastric (n=2), gastroduodenal (n=1), rectal (n=1) or middle colic (n=1) arteries and the coeliac axis (n=1). Of these, 26/31 were treated with metal coils, 3/31 with Cardiatis multilayer stent, 1/31 with a coated stent and 1/31 with coils and Amplatzer plug. Procedures were performed electively in 10/30 cases and during haemorrhage in 20/30 cases. Follow-up was performed clinically (cessation of bleeding) and at 1, 6 and 12 months by colour-Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) and computed tomography (CT) angiography.

In 31/31 aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms we obtained immediate exclusion. In four patients with aneurysm and in four with pseudoaneurysm, parenchymal ischaemia occurred; one was treated with surgical splenectomy. One patient with pseudoaneurysm of the coeliac axis died 10 days later because of new bleeding. During follow-up, all aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms remained excluded.

Percutaneous treatment is effective and safe, with a small number of complications, especially when compared with traditional surgery.