NEW YORK – With a median follow-up of almost 4 years in more than 200 patients, the snorkel/chimney technique of endovascular repair of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms continues to generate very good results, according data presented at a symposium on vascular and endovascular issues sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
In a video interview with Jason T. Lee, MD, professor of vascular surgery, Stanford (Calif.) University, who presented the long-term results, he explains why these findings are important.
After several single-center studies associated the snorkel/chimney technique with good rates of patency and durability, the PERICLES Registry was created almost 10 years ago to test whether these data could be reproduced in the real world.The data presented by Dr. Lee involved outcomes in 244 patients who were followed for at least 2.5 years. The median follow-up is 47 months.
The results overall confirm that this is a viable technique, according to Dr. Lee who noted very little diminution of patency rates in this long-term cohort relative to the previously published follow-up of 17.1 months.
He acknowledged that the snorkel/chimney repair is not free of potential complications, particularly gutter endovascular leaks, but he recounted that at least some resolve over time. Moreover, he suggests that several strategies are being pursued that appear promising for avoiding this risk.
Most importantly, the registry, which captured the experience at 13 centers in the United States and Europe, shows outcomes that are similar to those reported at centers where the techniques were developed and championed.