Stent graft types for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms

The UK prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is estimated at 4.9% in over 65-year olds. Progressive and unpredictable enlargement can lead to rupture. Endovascular repair of AAAs involves a stent graft system being introduced via the femoral artery and manipulated within the aorta under radiological guidance. Following endograft deployment, a seal is formed at the proximal and distal landing zones to exclude the aneurysm sac from the circulation. With the increasing popularity of endovascular repair there has been an increase in the number of commercially available stent graft designs on the market.

This review aimed to assess the different stent graft types for endovascular repair of AAA.

The Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator (TSC) searched the Specialised Register (last searched November 2012) and CENTRAL (2012, Issue 10). Trial databases were searched by the TSC for details of ongoing and unpublished studies.

All published and unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of stent graft types in the repair of AAAs were sought without language restriction and in consultation with the Peripheral Vascular Disease Group TSC.

We planned to conduct data collection and analysis in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

No studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria.

Unfortunately, no data exist regarding direct comparisons of the performance of different stent graft types. Therefore, this review cannot recommend guidance to clinicians in their selection of stent graft types. High quality randomised controlled trials evaluating stent graft types in abdominal endovascular aneurysm repair are required.