Results of Repair of Iliac Artery Aneurysms with the Sandwich Technique

Patients undergoing endovascular repair (EVAR) of aortoiliac or iliac artery aneurysm may require sacrifice of one or both internal iliac arteries (IIAs). Until Food and Drug Administration-approved commercial grafts became available, endovascular IIA preservation was accomplished using the "sandwich" technique, but limited information is available regarding the results of this method. After obtaining institutional review board approval, we identified patients undergoing IIA preservation with the sandwich technique during EVAR at our institution. The patients have been followed prospectively since being identified to record patency rates and vascular symptoms or events. Twenty-four procedures were performed from 2011 through 2015 to treat iliac artery aneurysms. Fourteen of these procedures were done with concomitant EVAR using different endografts (Gore Excluder 11, Endologix AFX 2, Cook Zenith 1). Five were done to extend a previous EVAR that had developed a type Ib endoleak, 2 for an isolated external iliac artery aneurysm, 3 for an anastomotic aneurysm from a previous aortobiiliac graft, and 2 for isolated iliac aneurysm repair. There were 25 sandwich grafts (unilateral in 19, bilateral in 6). Contralateral embolization was performed in 5 cases. Immediate success rates were high, and patency rates were excellent at intermediate follow-up. Intraoperative type 3 endoleaks were not uncommon but usually resolved postoperatively. Endovascular IIA preservation is feasible with currently available devices using this technique. This procedure is recommended for preservation of the IIA during endovascular treatment of aortoiliac and iliac artery aneurysms when anatomy requires IIA preservation.