Finnish Multicenter Study on the Midterm Results of Use of the Zenith Stent-Graft in the Treatment of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

PURPOSE: To assess the midterm results of endovascular repair of abdominal aneurysm (AAA) with a Zenith stent-graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2005, a Zenith stent-graft was employed for endovascular repair of an infrarenal AAA in 206 patients. The mean patient age (+/- standard deviation) was 73.2 years +/- 7.3. Bifurcated grafts were used in 196 patients (96.1%), aortouni-iliac grafts were used in seven patients (3.4%), and a tubular graft was used in one patient (0.5%). The mean follow-up period was 2.4 years +/- 1.7. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality rate was 2.9%. The overall survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year follow-up were 93.3%, 78.7%, and 64.5%, respectively. None of the patients died of AAA rupture. The primary and assisted technical success rates 1 week after endovascular aneurysm repair were 82.0% and 90.3%. The primary clinical success rates at the 1-, 3-, and 5-year follow-up were 90.6%, 85.6%, and 83.5%. Twenty-seven patients (13.1%) underwent a secondary intervention during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: An 83% rate of freedom from repeat vascular intervention over a period of 5 years as well as an absence of structural failures or aneurysm ruptures demonstrates that a Zenith stent-graft is associated with good midterm results.