Totally Percutaneous Approach to Endovascular Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms (PEVAR-PRO)

Endovascular treatment using a percutaneous technique (Percutaneous Endovascular Aneurism Repair - P-EVAR) has been used with increasing frequency to treat aortic aneurysms by reducing operative times, postoperative pain and length of stay, compared to treatment by surgical femoral access. During EVAR procedures, two accesses to the femoral arteries are required to introduce the necessary tools for the stentgraft implantation. Such accesses can be classically obtained by surgical incision, isolation of the common femoral arteries and direct introduction of the devices.

Alternatively, the most modern approach involves direct puncture of the artery (without the need for incision), through the skin and closure of the arterial breach through prolonged manual compression of the vascular closure or systems (Vascular Closure Devices - VCD) specifically designed. Among the various closure devices one of the most used and studied is the Perclose Proglide (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara CA, USA) that allows to affix a polypropylene stitch to close the arterial breach. When closing high-caliber accesses (> 8 French) it is necessary to use two devices that must be positioned before inserting the introducer ("Pre-Close Technique").

Few studies have so far evaluated the application of this method to the treatment of complex cases such as thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms that requiring the use of high caliber introducers.

The objective of the study is the evaluation of the technical success and clinical outcomes of the PEVAR technique with a double vascular suture device Perclose ProGlide (Abbott Illinois, U.S.A.).Endovascular treatment using a percutaneous technique (Percutaneous Endovascular Aneurism Repair - P-EVAR) has been used with increasing frequency to treat aortic aneurysms by reducing operative times, postoperative pain and length of stay, compared to treatment by surgical femoral access. During EVAR procedures, two accesses to the femoral arteries are required to introduce the necessary tools for the stentgraft implantation. Such accesses can be classically obtained by surgical incision, isolation of the common femoral arteries and direct introduction of the devices.

Alternatively, the most modern approach involves direct puncture of the artery (without the need for incision), through the skin and closure of the arterial breach through prolonged manual compression of the vascular closure or systems (Vascular Closure Devices - VCD) specifically designed. Among the various closure devices one of the most used and studied is the Perclose Proglide (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara CA, USA) that allows to affix a polypropylene stitch to close the arterial breach. When closing high-caliber accesses (> 8 French) it is necessary to use two devices that must be positioned before inserting the introducer ("Pre-Close Technique").

Few studies have so far evaluated the application of this method to the treatment of complex cases such as thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms that requiring the use of high caliber introducers.

The objective of the study is the evaluation of the technical success and clinical outcomes of the PEVAR technique with a double vascular suture device Perclose ProGlide (Abbott Illinois, U.S.A.).

This is a retrospective observational study (320 cases treated in San Raffaele hospital in Milan, during the period: October 2015 - 31 December 2019).

The chronology of the assessments will include:

• An immediate evaluation at the end of the procedure by performing the ecocolordoppler examination of the percutaneous accesses performed (as per routine). On the basis of longitudinal and sagittal scans of the vessel, the Physician must check the presence of the above complications that could be considered as "failure" of percutaneous access. In the event that these complications are clinically evident (eg uncontrollable bleeding from the puncture site), in the interest of a prompt management of the surgical problem, it will not be necessary to perform an ecocolordoppler examination and the outcome will be assigned "failure ".
• A second echocolordoppler assessment performed on the first postoperative day (as per routine) The study will be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles deriving from the Helsinki Declaration and the current legislation on Observational Studies.

Inclusion criteria

• adult patients aged ≥ 18 years, belonging to the Operative Unit of Vascular Surgery of the San Raffaele Hospital,
• patients candidates for endovascular treatment for thoracic, thoracoabdominal or abdominal aortic pathologies.

Exclusion criteria

• There are no criteria for exclusion of subjects from the study.