Notes on the application of the Matsui-Kitamura stent-graft for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Abdominal aortic and left common iliac aneurysms in a 79-year-old man who had undergone Miles' operation for rectal carcinoma were treated with endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR), taking into consideration the age, surgical history, and wishes of the patient and his family. The Matsui-Kitamura stent-graft (MK-SG) was designed based on preoperative angiographic mapping. At EVAR, the right leg of the MK-SG was caught at the aortic bifurcation because of unexpected contraction of the MK-SG. To resolve the problem, the body of the MK-SG was dilated with a balloon, slightly lifted while being gradually shortened, and eventually successfully connected to the leg of the MK-SG. Made of nitinol mesh, the MK-SG is stable and flexible enough to make it one of the best stent-grafts for EVAR. A serious drawback, however, is the high contraction rate of the MK-SG itself. It is difficult to estimate the appropriate length of the stent-graft owing to unpredictable contraction. It is important to understand its characteristics and to carefully design and acquire sufficient skills in manipulating MK-SG.