Kilt Technique as an Angle Modification Method for Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Severe Neck...

Kilt technique can be useful for overcoming the severe angle in endovascular abdominal aortic repair. Thus, we investigate the utility of the Kilt technique as an angle modification method.

This study included 16 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm having severe neck angle (over 60°). Of these, eight were treated using Kilt technique, whereas the remaining eight were by the conventional endovascular method. We investigated the pre- and post-procedural differences in neck angle between the two groups using aortic computed tomography (CT) angiography.

Mean pre-procedural neck angles in the conventional group and the Kilt group were 70° ± 13° and 93° ± 14° (p = 0.007) and supra-renal neck angles were 54° ± 16° and 89° ± 26°, respectively (p = 0.016). However, the angle differences disappeared between the two groups after the procedure. Consequently, the Kilt group showed greater angle change than the conventional group (p value for ∆ supra-renal angle and ∆ neck angle were 0.015 and 0.021, respectively). There was no type 1 endoleak during 16 ± 16 months of CT follow-up.

Kilt technique may be an effective tool for modifying the neck angle without leaving increased risk of type 1 endoleak in this subset of patients.