ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM REPAIR VIA PERCUTANEOUS ENDOVASCULAR STENTING IN THE SWINE MODEL

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are the 13th leading cause of death in the United States. Endovascular stent grafts are currently being in vestigated in clinical trials as an alternative method for treatment o f AAA. Twelve pigs underwent creation of AAA using the abdominus rectu s fascia, Postoperatively, all 12 animals underwent angiography, which demonstrated turbulent flow within the treated aneurysms. Four of the animals were not stented and served as controls. Eight animals underw ent subsequent percutaneous placement of a covered endovascular stent via a right femoral sheath, and the stents were deployed between the r enal arteries and the aortic bifurcation. The animals were maintained for 120 days before sacrifice and necropsy. Unstented animals (4) died within 6 days, 3 from rupture. Eight animals underwent endovascular s tenting: 5 survived without complications, 3 deaths within 2 days were related to technical complications. The 5 surviving animals were sacr ificed at 120 days, and necropsy was conducted with in situ dissection s of the aorta and intact stent: 3 experimental animals had correct an atomic positioning of the stent, and 2 had inexact stent placement but survived 120 days with AAA thrombosis. Treatment of AAA in this swine model has been demonstrated via placement of a percutaneous covered s tent.