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[Inflammatory aneurysm of the abdominal aorta: TC assessment of the postoperative course]
R Gigoni1, P Boraschi, F Cartei
1U.O. Radiodiagnostica II, Azienda Ospedaliera Pisana, Ospedale di Cisanello.
This study was aimed at investigating CT reliability in the postoperative follow-up of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAA) previously treated with prosthesis positioning. During the last 5 years, 13 male patients operated on for subrenal IAAA with intraluminal prosthesis positioning, were followed-up with CT. All CT images were reviewed by three radiologists to assess prosthesis integrity; the possible presence of intraluminal thrombosis was investigated, together with pre/postprosthetic dilatation and the involvement of inferior vena cava, ureters and third duodenal segment. The prostheses were intact and no signs of intraluminal thrombosis were depicted in all patients; a periprosthetic dilation of abdominal aorta associated with parietal thrombosis was observed in one patient. Nine patients exhibited mild-moderate thickening of the original aortic or iliac walls; the inferior vena cava was involved in 6 of them and the left ureter in one. Contact with the III duodenal segment was found in 3 patients. In conclusion, CT proves to be a reliable technique in the postoperative follow-up of IAAA, yielding accurate information about the prosthesis, the aortoiliac walls and retroperitoneal structures. Moreover, in our experience late postoperative complications were not of major clinical importance.
This study was aimed at investigating CT reliability in the postoperative follow-up of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAA) previously treated with prosthesis positioning. During the last 5 years, 13 male patients operated on for subrenal IAAA with intraluminal prosthesis positioning, were followed-up with CT. All CT images were reviewed by three radiologists to assess prosthesis integrity; the possible presence of intraluminal thrombosis was investigated, together with pre/postprosthetic dilatation and the involvement of inferior vena cava, ureters and third duodenal segment. The prostheses were intact and no signs of intraluminal thrombosis were depicted in all patients; a periprosthetic dilation of abdominal aorta associated with parietal thrombosis was observed in one patient. Nine patients exhibited mild-moderate thickening of the original aortic or iliac walls; the inferior vena cava was involved in 6 of them and the left ureter in one. Contact with the III duodenal segment was found in 3 patients. In conclusion, CT proves to be a reliable technique in the postoperative follow-up of IAAA, yielding accurate information about the prosthesis, the aortoiliac walls and retroperitoneal structures. Moreover, in our experience late postoperative complications were not of major clinical importance.