Results of Autopsy 7 Months after Successful Endoluminal Treatment of an Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Purpose:To report the results of a postmortem examination in a patient who died of unrelated causes 7 months following endoluminal treatment of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).Methods:As part of an FDA Phase I pilot study, a 73-year-old man underwent successful endoluminal exclusion of an infrarenal AAA using a 9-cm-long endograft (Endovascular Grafting System). Seven months later, he succumbed to complications of a spontaneous esophageal rupture. At autopsy, the aorta was dissected in situ by a vascular surgeon and pathologist before being explanted in order to examine the wound healing characteristics at the aorta-endograft interface. Particular attention was also directed to the hooks composing the attachment system at each end of the endograft.Results:Macroscopic and microscopic examination revealed that the graft had completely excluded the aneurysm sac from the circulation and was incorporated into the aortic wall at the proximal neck and distal cuff. A smooth pannus of endothelial cel...