Endoluminal Placement of Stent-Graft for the Treatment of Peripheral Saccular Aneurysm

Purpose: To determine the therapeutic effect of stent grafting in the treatment of saccular aneurysms of the peripheral artery. Materials and Methods: Eight patients [M:F=7:1 ; age:22-72(mean, 47) years] with ten saccular aneurysms of the peripheral artery who underwent stent grafting were included in this study. The etiologies of the aneurysms were Behcet’s disease in four patients, atherosclerosis in two, trauma in one and uncertain’ in one; they were located at the common iliac artery in three cases, the renal artery in two, the subclavian artery in two, the anterior tibial artery in one, and at both the proximal and distal anastomotic sites of the common carotid-internal carotid bypass graft. In two cases, stent grafting and coils were used to embolize collateral vessels. Post-procedural evaluations involved the use of computed tomography, Doppler sonography and magnetic resonance imaging. The mean follow-up period was 14.7(range, 4-36) monthes. Results: The saccular aneurysms were successfully excluded in all cases. Post-procedural angiography revealed minor leakage in two cases, but at follow-up these showed complete exclusion. Follow-up evaluation also revealed complete resolution in five cases and complete thrombosis accompanied by size reduction in three. In patients with aneurysms of the proximal and distal ends of a common carotid-internal carotid bypass graft, total occlusion occurred in the stent graft. Conclusion: Percutaneous stent-graft insertion is an effective and convenient method for the treatment of peripheral arterial aneurysms, and is an alternative to vascular surgery.ope