Preserved pelvic circulation after stent-graft treatment of complex aortoiliac artery aneurysms: a new approach.

Objective: To describe an endovascular technique that allows stent-graft treatment of aortoiliac aneurysmal disease affecting both common iliac arteries (CIA), with maintenance of pelvic circulation on one side.

Methods: For patients with aortoiliac aneurysms, both common femoral arteries (CFA) were surgically exposed. One internal iliac artery (IIA) was initially embolized with coils. A bifurcated stent-graft main body was deployed with the proximal end just below the renal arteries. On the ipsilateral side, the stent-graft limb was extended 3 cm beyond the orifice of the embolized IIA into the external iliac artery (EIA) using stent-graft limb extenders. On the contralateral side, the stent-graft limb was deployed so that the distal end was 10 to 15 mm proximal to the patent IIA orifice. Via a left brachial artery access, the IIA was catheterized, and stent-grafts were deployed from the distal end of the contralateral AAA stent-graft limb into the IIA. A femorofemoral crossover graft provided circulation to the leg ipsilateral to the IIA stent-graft, and the EIA on the same side was ligated. The technique can also be modified to treat isolated bilateral CIA aneurysms.

Conclusions: By extending the distal aspect of the stent-graft into an IIA, bilateral CIA aneurysms can be excluded while preserving pelvic circulation on one side.