Endovascular arch replacement with a dual branched endoprosthesis

In the light of current evidence, endovascular repair of aortic arch pathologies with custom-made devices should be considered a valid alternative to decrease operative mortality and morbidity associated with open or hybrid repair. Currently, two double inner branch devices are available on the market. Some papers from multicenter experiences have been published about the use of Cook device. We report our single-center experience with Bolton double branch stent graft in the treatment of aortic arch disease.

Between 2013 and 2016, nine high-risk patients with arch pathology were treated in our center with a Bolton custom-made branched device. Among these, two with a single branch model were excluded, leaving a subgroup of seven patients of this study.

Out of the seven male patients (mean age, 76; range, 70-85) included in the study, two (28%) died perioperatively after stroke (14%) and retrograde dissection (14%), respectively. No other death, major complications, including aneurysmal diameter evolution and branch related complications, or secondary intervention was recorded at a mean follow up of 24 [6-53] months.

Despite the small sample size, our results are in line with the early experiences published on this technique. Endovascular repair of aortic arch disease with custom-made branched devices should always be considered to give high-risk patients a chance of repair.