Preliminary experience with the Endurant II short form stent-graft system

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate our preliminary experience with the use of the Endurant II short form (IIs) stent-graft in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). METHODS: Between November 2014 and November 2015, 79 patients were consecutively treated with the Endurant IIs stent-graft at three European vascular centers. Early (30-day) results in terms of technical success, limb occlusion, major morbidity, and mortality were analyzed. Estimated 1-year outcomes in terms of survival, freedom from type I endoleak, freedom from limb occlusion, and freedom from any device-related reinterventions were assessed with Kaplan-Meyer method. Factors affecting 1-year freedom from type I endoleak were analyzed by log-rank test and by Cox regression test for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Intraoperative technical success was achieved in all cases. Thirty-day mortality was 1.3% (one death due to cardiac failure). Early type I endoleak was detected in three patients (3.8%). During the follow-up (mean duration 6.7 months; range 1-14), two type I endoleaks resolved spontaneously. No limb occlusions or aneurysm-related reinterventions were recorded. Estimated survival, freedom from type I endoleak, freedom from limb occlusions, and freedom from any device-related reinterventions rates at 1 year were 96%, 96.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Adoption of chimney technique significantly affected 1-year freedom from type I endoleak (P≤0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary use of the new Endurant IIs stent-graft is safe and effective in endovascular repair of AAAs (EVAR) without early limb occlusions. Further studies with larger population sizes and longer follow-up are needed to evaluate mid- and long-term results.