Rescue of failed endovascular aortic aneurysm repair using the fenestrated Anaconda device.

Objective: Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with a fenestrated device (FEVAR) allows an extension of the proximal sealing zone above the renal arteries to an adequate, healthier segment of the aorta. This feature makes FEVAR an option to treat patients with a diseased aortic neck or type Ia endoleak after EVAR. The aim of this investigation was to present a single-center experience with FEVAR for patients with an abdominal aortic endograft in situ compared with primary FEVAR.

The influence of prototype testing in three-dimensional aortic models on fenestrated endograft design.

Objective: The fenestrated Anaconda endograft (Vascutek/Terumo, Inchinnan, UK) is intended for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms with an insufficient infrarenal landing zone. The endografts are custom-made with use of high-resolution, 1-mm-slice computed tomography angiography images. For every case, a nonsterile prototype and a three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's aorta are constructed to allow the engineers as well as the physician to test-implant the device and to review the fit of the graft.

Pararenal Aortic Ulcer Repair.

Objective/background: In order to investigate techniques and outcomes of pararenal penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) repair, a retrospective cohort study was performed.

Methods: Over the 6 year study period, 12 patients treated for a pararenal PAU were included. Outcome measures included technical success, survival, and peri-operative complications, as well as stent patency.

Degree of contralateral carotid stenosis improves preoperative risk stratification of patients with asymptomatic ipsilateral carotid stenosis.

Objective: The benefit of carotid surgery in asymptomatic patients with high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) is subject of intense debate, and thus improved preoperative risk stratification is mandatory. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of contralateral ICAS (cl-ICAS) for the preoperative clinical presentation of patients with ipsilateral ICAS (primary outcome).

Methods: This study was a post hoc analysis of a prospective cohort comprising 485 consecutive patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for high-grade ICAS.

Ratio of Apolipoprotein A-II/B Improves Risk Prediction of Postoperative Survival After Carotid Endarterectomy.

Background And Purpose: Even in patients with high-grade carotid stenosis, cardiovascular morbidity causes more deaths than strokes do. Despite successful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering, a significant risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains, eventually rendering other lipid or lipoprotein ratios more efficient treatment targets. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the ratio of serum apolipoprotein A-II/B for overall mortality (primary outcome) of carotid surgery patients.