[3 years experience with endovascular stent prostheses in aortic aneurysm]

Since August 1994 we changed our concept of the treatment of infrarenal aortic aneurysms at the Surgical Department of the Städtische Kliniken Frankfurt Höchst. All patients morphologically suitable for endovascular aortic stenting were offered the new device. From the technical point of view stentgraft implantation is safe and its feasibility has been proven. The primary success rate was 88%. Perioperative mortality was 3.6%, primary leakage (10%) During follow-up thrombotic stentgraft occlusion (10%), renal artery closure (2%) and secondary leakage (10%) revealed a major problem. Most complications, however, could be treated interventionally without harm for the patient. We conclude form our results that good selection is the main key to avoid complications in the early phase of endovascular grafting.