Size of the Proximal Neck in AAAs Treated with Balloon-Expandable Stent-Grafts: CTA Findings in Mid- to Long-term Follow-up

Purpose:To determine the evolution of the proximal aortic neck diameter in mid- to long-term follow-up after endovascular aneurysm repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with a balloon-expandable stent-graft.Methods:Thirty patients (27 men; average age 71 years, range 56–87) with infrarenal AAAs were treated with the SETA-Latecba balloon-expandable stent-graft (6 aortomonoiliac and 24 bifurcated configurations). Follow-up ranged from 4 to 8 years (mean 73.4 months). Computed tomography was done systematically before the procedure, after implantation (1–3 months), at 1 year, and annually thereafter. The last follow-up scan was utilized to measure the proximal neck for purposes of comparison with baseline and the initial post-implant scans.Results:Five patients died during follow-up of causes unrelated to the procedure. No endoleaks or graft migrations were observed. The pre-deployment proximal neck diameter (a) averaged 23.4 mm (range 18–32), the diameter after deployment of the stent-graft (b) averaged...