ENDOLUMINAL EXCLUSION OF AN ILIAC ARTERY ANEURYSM BY WALLSTENT(R) ENDOPROSTHESIS AND PTFE VASCULAR GRAFT

Aneurysms isolated in she iliac artery and measuring more than 3 cm in diameter are associated with an increased rate of rupture and a high mortality rate. The current therapy recommended for such aneurysms is surgical exclusion. Percutaneous exclusion of isolated iliac aneurysms with covered or uncovered stents, however, reduces the morbidity and mortality rates associated with surgery by obviating the need for gene ral anesthesia, avoiding significant blood loss, and reducing in-hospi tal recuperation time. We report the case of a patient who had an isol ated atherosclerotic iliac artery aneurysm that was successfully exclu ded percutaneously by use of an endovascular prosthesis (WALLSTENT(R) Endoprosthesis) made by Schneider (USA), Inc; Minneapolis, Minn, in co njunction with the Thin-Wailed GORE-TEX(R) (polytetrafluoroethylene) V ascular Graft (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.; Flagstaff, Ariz). Althoug h various stent devices have been used recently in conjunction with a polytetrafluoroethylene graft to exclude peripheral arterial aneurysms , the self-expandable WALLSTENT has not been used with polytetrafluoro ethylene in this fashion and for this purpose until recently We presen t herein the technical aspects of endoluminal exclusion of the isolate d iliac artery aneurysm with this composite stent-graft.