Repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms with Ankura Thoracic Stent Graft

Objective: The aim of the study was to present the results for patients with atherosclerotic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) treated with a novel thoracic stent graft. Methods: A single-center retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed. We extracted demographic variables as well as atherosclerotic comorbidities and operation-related and imaging-related data from patients' medical records. We estimated technical success rate, in-hospital and 30-day mortality, and mortality at the end of follow-up as well as complication and reintervention rate in our study cohort. Follow-up computed tomography angiography was performed after 1 month and 6 months and yearly thereafter. Results: A total of 30 patients (80% male; mean age, 73.7 6 6.33 years) were treated with Ankura Thoracic Stent Graft (Lifetech, Shenzhen, China) for DTA aneurysm from February 2014 until June 2017. Technical success of the thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was 97% (29/30 patients). A surgical conduit was required in one patient; in three patients, we intentionally covered the left subclavian artery because of insufficient proximal landing zone. No aortarelated deaths were recorded during follow-up. During the early postoperative period, two patients (7%) with long DTA coverage developed paralysis or paraparesis, which immediately resolved after lumbar drainage. No renal complications requiring dialysis were observed. One patient (3%) developed postoperative pulmonary infection, whereas access site complications were 7%. Two symptomatic patients treated outside instructions for use (7%) developed early type IA endoleak and one patient (3%) developed type IB endoleak; type II endoleak was recorded in 3% of the study cohort. During the 30-day postoperative period, two patients died of non-TEVAR-related causes, one of gastrointestinal bleeding and the other of pulmonary infection. During amedian follow-up of 31.7 (range, 38.4) months, two more patients also died of non-TEVAR-related causes, one of stroke from carotid artery disease and the other of motor vehicle trauma. In the rest of the cohort, no other adverse events were noted. Conclusions: This novel endograft showed early evidence of a safe, effective, and durable endoprosthesis for the treatment of DTA aneurysms.