Transfemoral endovascular repair of iliac artery aneurysms

Purpose: This report evaluates the application of transfemoral endovascular repair of iliac artery aneurysms. Patients and methods: Over a 20-month period, 11 patients with serious comorbid illnesses and a total of 14 iliac artery aneurysms were treated with endovascular grafts composed of polytetra-fluoroethylene conduits combined with balloon expandable iliac artery stents (Palmaz). Nine right common, 3 left common, and 2 right internal iliac artery aneurysms were treated. The patients were men between 58 and 89 years of age (mean 72). Eight patients had isolated aneurysms and 3 had multiple iliac artery aneurysms. Results: Endovascular iliac grafts were successfully placed in all 11 patients. No procedural deaths occurred. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 21 months (mean 11). No acute or late graft thromboses occurred. Conclusions: Transluminally placed endovascular stented grafts can be used to successfully exclude iliac artery aneurysms from the circulation while maintaining lower-extremity arterial perfusion. However, longer follow-up in more patients is necessary to confirm the durability of this technique.