Physician-Modified Endografts Versus Chimney/Snorkel for Ruptured and Symptomatic Juxtarenal and Paravisceral...

Ruptured and symptomatic juxtarenal and paravisceral aneurysms present technical challenges during endovascular repair. We sought to compare physician modification and fenestrated (PMEG) versus chimney/periscope/snorkel (CHIMPS) repair techniques for the treatment of ruptured and symptomatic paravisceral and juxtarenal aortic aneurysms (r/sPJAA).

Patients in the thoracic and complex endovascular aneurysm module of the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) national registry undergoing CHIMPS and PMEG for r/sPJAA were included. Patients who underwent thoracic aneurysm repair with only celiac intervention or who had coverage or occlusion only of one renal or visceral branch vessel were excluded. One-year mortality was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included peri- and postoperative endoleak, hospital and ICU length of stay, reintervention, and other local and systemic complications.

A total of 81 CHIMPS and 47 PMEG patients were identified. Patients undergoing PMEG were more frequently symptomatic, had a history of CHF and were taking aspirin, statin and P2Y12 antiplatelet medications. Patients undergoing CHIMPS presented more frequently with rupture. There was no significant survival advantage for CHIMPS over PMEG patients (P = 0.5). There were no apparent long-term differences in the numbers of endoleaks or in the rates of subsequent reinterventions between the two groups.

It does not appear that the procedure type (CHIMPS versus PMEG) is associated with postoperative survival in patients with r/sPJAA. Not surprisingly, survival is associated with postoperative complications, particularly myocardial infarction and intestinal ischemia. Further research should evaluate reasons for failure to rescue from and the impact of postoperative complications on the postoperative survival after endovascular repair of r/sPJAA.