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Article
Thoracic aortic geometry correlates with endograft bird-beaking severity
Journal of Vascular Surgery
  • Maxfield M. Frohlich, San Jose State University
  • Ga Young Suh, California State University, Long Beach
  • Johan Bondesson, Chalmers University of Technology
  • Matthew Leineweber, San Jose State University
  • Jason T. Lee, Stanford University
  • Michael D. Dake, Stanford University
  • Christopher P. Cheng, Stanford University
Publication Date
10-1-2020
Document Type
Article
DOI
10.1016/j.jvs.2019.11.045
Abstract

Objective: Aortic geometry has been shown to influence the development of endograft malapposition (bird-beaking) in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), but the extent of this relationship lacks clarity. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible method of measuring bird-beak severity and to investigate preoperative geometry associated with bird-beaking. Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 20 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms or type B dissections treated with TEVAR. Computed tomography scans were used to construct three-dimensional geometric models of the preoperative and postoperative aorta and endograft. Postoperative bird-beaking was quantified with length, height, and angle; categorized into a bird-beak group (BBG; n = 10) and no bird-beak group (NBBG; n = 10) using bird-beak height ≥5 mm as a threshold; and correlated to preoperative metrics including aortic cross-sectional area, inner curvature, diameter, and inner curvature × diameter as well as graft diameter and oversizing at the proximal landing zone. Results: Aortic area (1002 ± 118 mm2 vs 834 ± 248 mm2), inner curvature (0.040 ± 0.014 mm−1 vs 0.031 ± 0.012 mm−1), and diameter (35.7 ± 2.1 mm vs 32.2 ± 4.9 mm) were not significantly different between BBG and NBBG; however, inner curvature × diameter was significantly higher in BBG (1.4 ± 0.5 vs 1.0 ± 0.3; P =.030). Inner curvature and curvature × diameter were significantly correlated with bird-beak height (R = 0.462, P =.041; R = 0.592, P =.006) and bird-beak angle (R = 0.680, P <.001; R = 0.712, P <.001). Conclusions: TEVAR bird-beak severity can be quantified and predicted with geometric modeling techniques, and the combination of high preoperative aortic inner curvature and diameter increases the risk for development of TEVAR bird-beaking.

Keywords
  • Aortic arch,
  • Bird beak configuration,
  • Endograft,
  • Endoleak,
  • Thoracic endovascular aortic repair
Citation Information
Maxfield M. Frohlich, Ga Young Suh, Johan Bondesson, Matthew Leineweber, et al.. "Thoracic aortic geometry correlates with endograft bird-beaking severity" Journal of Vascular Surgery Vol. 72 Iss. 4 (2020) p. 1196 - 1205
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/matthew-leineweber/26/