Anatomic Suitability of Iliac Branched Devices for Chinese Patients with Abdominal-Iliac Aortic Aneurysm

Preserving internal iliac flow is the key to preventing ischemic complications during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The aim of this study is to determine the morphological features of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) that have been reported in clinical trials in Chinese patients to identify unique features of iliac branched systems.

The data for patients who had common iliac aneurysms suitable for imaging review from 2014 to 2017 at 1 institution in China were reviewed. Three-dimensional workstations were used to measure the centerline diameters and lengths of aortoiliac structures, which were screened for suitability for both Cook iliac branch devices (IBD) and Gore iliac branch endoprosthesis (IBE).

A total of 102 lesions of common iliac aneurysms were suitable for imaging review. The anatomic standards for the Gore IBE and Cook IBD were met by 13.7% (14/102) and 9.8% (10/102) of the cases, respectively, and 3 cases were suitable for both devices. The most common cause of not meeting the criteria was the same for both the Cook IBD (78.4%) and Gore IBE (48.03%), which was a limitation of the diameter of the target internal iliac artery. Of the 92 lesions excluded from the Cook IBD trial, 11 (11.9%) were eligible for the Gore IBE trial. Likewise, 7.95% (7/88) of the lesions excluded from the Gore IBE trial would have been eligible for the Cook IBD graft. In a practice that is able to enroll patients in both trials, a total of 20.6% (21/102) of the patients would be eligible for treatment, based on the anatomic criteria.

The high incidence of iliac artery involvement in AAAs makes EVAR more complicated. Cook IBD and Gore IBE are only suitable for the treatment of a total of 20.6% Chinese patients based on the anatomic criteria. A limitation in the diameter of the target internal iliac artery is the most common cause of failure to meet the criteria for both devices. Future generations of iliac branch technologies should be designed with diameter accommodations for the hypogastric branch stent to reach a wider group of patients with aortoiliac aneurysmal disease.