Visceral artery aneurysms: management of 48 cases (Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 52, 4, (557))

Objectives The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of endovascular treatment and open repair of visceral artery aneurysms, and to compare results. Materials and methods Between January 1989 and January 2009, 48 patients (28 males) underwent surgical or endovascular treatment for visceral artery aneurysms. Mean age was 60  13 (range, 35-85). Overall, 12 patients (25%) were asymptomatic, twenty-six patients (54.2%) were symptomatic, and 10 aneurysms (20.8%) were ruptured. The first 12 cases (28.6%) were treated with open repair; thereafter, endovascular techniques were used to treat 30 VAAs (71.4%). Results Ten patients were treated in emergency setting [8 in the endovascular group (26.6%) and 2 in the open repair group (16.7%), p = .491]. In the endovascular group, primary technical success was achieved in 29 of 30 VAAs (96.6%). Overall in-hospital mortality was 2.4%. Major complications occurred in 8 patients (3 endovascular vs 5 open repair, p = .01). Overall, mean hospitalisation was 9.7 vs 13 days (p < .0001). Mean follow-up was 64 months (range, 3 months-14 years). In the endovascular group, reperfusion was higher in larger (> 5cm) aneurysms (p < .0001). Conclusion Endovascular techniques could be the first treatment option for all visceral artery aneurysms.