The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of endograft material on the inflammatory response after elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Consecutive patients (n = 22, all men, 53 to 82 years old) were divided into 2 groups according to the graft material used: In group A (n = 12) the endovascular device was made of polyester and in group B (n = 10) the device was made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). All patients received antiinflammatory drugs in the perioperative period. Fever, white blood cells and platelet count, serum concentrations of cytokines (interleukin 6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha], interleukin 8 [IL-8], acute-phase proteins high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP] and alpha1-antitrypsin [alpha1-antitrypsin]), and complement protein (C3a) were measured preoperatively and 1, 3, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after aneurysm exclusion. One patient in each group had a systemic inflammatory response syndrome with 2 of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria. No other complication associated with inflammation were present in any patient. Fever was more frequent in group A patients. Increases of white blood cells and serum concentrations of IL-6, TNF-alpha, hsCRP, alpha1-antitrypsin, and C3a and decrease of platelet count were recorded in both groups, but no statistically significant difference between them was recorded. However, serum concentrations of IL-8 were significantly higher in group A patients 24 hours postoperatively (p = 0.01). No significant difference was apparent in the biological response between patients receiving a polyester or an ePTFE stent graft, except for fever and serum concentrations of IL-8.
Initial experience with endovascular treatment of the popliteal aneurysm in high-risk patients yielded modest results. Larger number of patients and further follow-up time is necessary to evaluate the long-term results.
Endovascular treatment of RAAAs is feasible, and the early experience is promising. More experience and evidence from randomized trials are needed to determine whether such an approach is superior to open surgery.
The Hardman index, with or without incorporating ECG ischemia, seems to be a simple and useful predictive tool in patients undergoing endovascular repair of RAAA, with the mortality rate increasing along with the Hardman score. However, the index cannot be used to accurately identify patients with no chance of survival after endovascular repair.
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