Vascular Health and Risk Management (Sep 2022)
Preliminary Assessment of Intra-Aneurysm Sac Pressure During Endovascular Aneurysm Repair as an Early Prognostic Factor of Aneurysm Enlargement
Abstract
Maciej Antkiewicz,1 Marcin Protasiewicz,2 Wiktor Kuliczkowski,2 Tomasz Zubilewicz,3 Piotr Terlecki,3 Magdalena Kobielarz,4 Dariusz Janczak1 1Department and Clinic of Vascular, General and Transplantation Surgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland; 2Department and Clinic of Cardiology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland; 3Department and Clinic of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 4Department of Mechanics, Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, PolandCorrespondence: Maciej Antkiewicz, Department and Clinic of Vascular, General and Transplantation Surgery, Wrocław Medical University, Borowska 213, Wrocław, 50-556, Poland, Tel +48 71 733 2003, Fax +48 71 733 2009, Email [email protected]: Numerous cases of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) enlargement, and even rupture, despite endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), have been documented. This has been linked to increased aneurysm sac pressure (ASP). We decided to conduct further research with the aim to identify correlations between ASP during EVAR and subsequent aneurysm enlargement.Patients and Methods: This experimental prospective study included 30 patients undergoing EVAR of infrarenal AAAs. Invasive ASP measurements were done using a thin pressure wire. Aortic pressure (AP) was measured using a catheter placed over the wire. Systolic pressure index (SPI), diastolic pressure index (DPI), mean pressure index (MPI), and pulse pressure index (PPI) were calculated both for ASP and AP. The results of follow-up computed tomography angiography (CTA) at 3 months were compared with baseline CTA findings.Results: During EVAR, a significant reduction was observed for SPI (from 98% to 61%), DPI (from 100% to 87%), MPI (from 99% to 74%), and PPI (from 97% to 34%). There were no significant correlations of pressure indices with an aneurysm diameter, cross-sectional area, velocity, thrombus shape and size, number of patent lumbar arteries, length and diameter of aneurysm neck, diameter of the inferior mesenteric artery, as well as diameter and angle of common iliac arteries. On the other hand, aneurysm neck angulation was significantly inversely correlated with reduced PPI. After combining CTA findings with pressure measurements, we identified a positive correlation between PPI and aneurysm enlargement (ratio of the cross-sectional area at the widest spot at baseline and at 3 months after EVAR).Conclusion: The study showed that ASP can be successfully measured during EVAR and can facilitate the assessment of treatment efficacy. In particular, PPI can serve as a prognostic factor of aneurysm enlargement and can help identify high-risk patients who remain prior monitoring.Keywords: abdominal aortic aneurysm, aneurysm sac pressure, endovascular surgery, endoleak
