Ultra-Long-Term CT Angiography Evaluation of Patients Treated with Covered Stents for Visceral Aneurysms: A Single Center Case Series
<b>Objective:</b> Endovascular repair of visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs) and visceral artery pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs) using covered stent grafts is a novel technique that preserves efferent vessel patency and prevents end-organ ischemia; however, long-term results are lacking in the literature. This study aims to evaluate ultra-long-term outcomes (>5 years) using CT angiography (CTA) and technical aspects of covered stents in treating VAAs and VAPAs. <b>Methods:</b> A single-center retrospective study was conducted on patients with VAAs and VAPAs treated with stent grafts between 2004 and 2023. The study included an ultra-long-term follow-up using CTA. Stent graft patency, aneurysm characteristics, technical success, 30-day and long-term follow-up clinical success, and mortality were assessed. <b>Results:</b> Among 23 patients presenting with VAAs and VAPAs treated exclusively with covered stents implantation, 7 (mean age: 68 years, SD 14), including 5 with VAAs and 2 with VAPAs, met the inclusion criteria for the study. Six of the seven patients underwent elective procedures with no significant periprocedural complications. Both technical and 30-day clinical success rates were 100%. The mean follow-up period was 10 years (125 months SD 53). At the 5-year follow-up, 71% of stent grafts remained patent. No patient experienced aneurysm sac revascularization or rupture. Stent obstruction did not affect survival. <b>Conclusions:</b> This study demonstrates that endovascular covered stenting is a durable and effective treatment for VAAs and VAPAs, even in the ultra-long term, with a patency rate of 71% at a mean CTA follow-up of 125 months, the longest reported to date and no cases of sac revascularization. Stent thrombosis was significantly associated with VAPAs.
Authors
- Edoardo Ronconi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6140-977X)
- Nicolò Ubaldi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1128-4144)
- Gianluigi Orgera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5244-7950)
- Miltiadis E. Krokidis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2191-240X)
- Luigi Rizzo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-9116)
- Marcello Andrea Tipaldi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8701-2044)
- Francesco Arbia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5225-0948)
- Pasqualino Sirignano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1312-1915)
- Michele Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9072-3066)
- Tommaso Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0332-7757)
- Marco Ortenzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4552-8952)
Institutions
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
- Policlinico Umberto I (IT)
- CTO Andrea Alesini (IT)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Sant'Andrea (IT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Diagnostics
- Published
- 2025-06-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15121481
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Abdominal vascular conditions and treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.01