"The Chimney Graft"-A Simple Technique for Endovascular Repair of Complex Juxtarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in No-Option Patients

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has developed as a less invasive alternative to open surgery for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. However, patients with very short infrarenal necks require complex surgical open repair, which is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The risk of complex open repair may be prohibitive in high-risk patients. Thus, modifying the technique of EVAR may be required in such patients to successfully exclude aneurysms. An alternative that can be used in these patients is the so-called "chimney graft" technique. We report two cases where the chimney graft technique was used with good immediate results. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.