[Polyester-covered spiral Z stent. Initial clinical experience with endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms]

The authors present their initial clinical experience with endovascular treatment of an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta using of a polyester covered spiral Z stent. Since May 1995 they treated by the endoluminal route 13 patients with aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and 1 patient with thoracic aneurysm. In patients with a subrenal aneurysm (n = 10) the stent graft was anchored below renal arteries origins. In patients with a juxtarenal aneurysm (n = 3) the stent graft was anchored across the renal arteries origins. All patients were followed up by angiography, computed tomography and ultrasonography. In one patient with a subrenal aneurysm dislocation of the stent graft during implantation occurred. In the remaining patients it proved possible to exclude the aneurysm successfully. One patient with an juxtarenal aneurysm died 6 days after surgery. The cause of death was not associated with the aneurysm or surgery. In patients with juxtarenal aneurysms the authors did not observe changes of renal functions or occlusion of the renal artery in the course of 12 months.