An early single-center experience with the Relay double inner-branch arch endograft

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Endovascular Interventions
• Aortic Disease Management

Background:

• Open surgery is the standard for aortic arch pathologies.
• Endovascular techniques offer an alternative for patients unfit for open repair.
• This study evaluates early outcomes of a specific endovascular device for aortic arch repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the early outcomes of patients treated with a double inner-branched arch endograft.
• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of this endovascular technique in a tertiary-care setting.
• To identify early complications and survival rates in a high-risk patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analysis of consecutive elective endovascular arch repairs from 2016-2022.
• Use of a custom-made Relay double inner-branched endograft with associated extra-anatomical bypass.
• Analysis of comorbidities, periprocedural data, immediate results, and follow-up complications.

Main Results:

• 100% technical success in 12 high-risk patients (mean age 74, 100% male).
• Early complications included respiratory insufficiency (25%), stroke (8.3%), and perioperative death (8.3%).
• Median follow-up of 15.5 months showed 17% overall mortality and 100% aortic-related death-free survival at 2 years.

Conclusions:

• Endovascular treatment of aortic arch pathology is feasible in high-risk patients.
• Promising early mortality and stroke rates were observed.
• Minimizing neurological complications and longer follow-up are essential to determine long-term effectiveness and device-related issues.