A Systematic Review of Transcarotid Approach for Endovascular Aortic Repair in Treating Aortic Disease

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of transcarotid approach endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in patients where conventional femoral access is not possible.Materials and MethodsA systematic review of all articles discussing transcarotid approach EVAR published in the PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were conducted. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.ResultsIn accordance with the inclusion criteria, 17 articles discussing transcarotid approach EVAR were retrieved, encompassing 18 patients. Among these patients, 6 patients were related to ascending aortic disease, including 4 cases of pseudoaneurysms, 1 case of penetrating ulcer, and 1 case of dissection. 9 patients had descending aortic disease, comprising 6 aneurysms, 2 penetrating ulcers, and 1 pseudoaneurysm. There were 3 cases of abdominal aortic disease, including 2 aneurysms and 1 endoleak. Among these patients, 10 cases had access through the left common carotid artery, and 8 cases had access through the right common carotid artery. One patient experienced spinal cord ischemia and subsequently died of multi-organ failure caused by acute pancreatitis. Additionally, there was one case of minor embolization in the nonsurgical carotid supply area. No cerebral infarctions were observed in the vascular territory of the ipsilateral carotid artery at the surgical approach site.ConclusionsResearch on transcarotid approach EVAR is limited and predominantly consists of case reports, with a notable absence of randomized controlled trials. This systematic review suggests that transcarotid approach EVAR may be a viable alternative for selecting patient groups when the conventional femoral artery approach is not feasible. These findings indicate that this method is associated with a relatively manageable perioperative complications and mortality rates.