Aortic stent grafts

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) occur when weakened areas of the abdominal aortic wall result in a ballooning of the blood vessel. Attributed risk factors include smoking, atherosclerosis and hypertension. Traditionally, AAAs were treated with open surgery, involving a large abdominal incision and the placement of a synthetic graft. The introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) however, proved to have many advantages over open repair, chief among which is a lower perioperative morbidity and mortality rate. EVAR is likely to continue to evolve and the complications associated with this procedure will likely continue to decrease. In the meantime, the benefit of the continued, detailed analyses of explanted devices is twofold: (1) for future development of new devices; and (2) cognisance of complications that arise with any new device. This review is a guide to the many FDA approved stents which are commercially available, and those likely to become available following clinical trials.