Background: The aim of the study was the prospective evaluation of treatment results in patients after a PowerLink stent-graft implantation due to an infrarenal aortic aneurysm.
Material and methods: Since July 2000 at the Department of General and Vascular Surgery, 54 patients paper, the results of the treatment, early and late complications and morphological changes of the aneurysm after stent-graft implantation have been evaluated. In the follow up, for the proper assessment of the aneurysm diameter and the presence of stent migration or endoleaks, US, X ray of the abdominal cavity, aortography, as well as angio-CT were used.
Results: There were no postoperative deaths in the early and late follow up. No cases of a necessity to convert to a standard surgical aneurysmectomy were reported. In one case, the occlusion of the stent–graft limb due to an angulation was observed. Early endoleaks, type Ia, were recognized in 3 patients and endoleak, type Ib, in one case. In two patients endoleaks type II were reported (both of them spontaneously disappeared after 3 and 6 months of the follow up). Concerning late complications during the follow up, one case of late type II endoleak was recognized 12 months after the procedure. In two cases, a type Ia endoleak was related to a stent-graft migration.
Conclusions: The implantation of the PowerLink stent-graft in properly qualified patients with aortic aneurysm is safe with a minimal risk of early and late complication occurrence. The proper placement of the distal part of the stent-graft in the region of the aortic bifurcation eliminating the risk of stent graft migration is shown.