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Background: To evaluate outcomes following urgent or emergent fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (F-BEVAR) for pararenal (PRA) and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) in patients who are considered high-risk for open repair.

Methods: A retrospective, single institution evaluation of outcomes following F-BEVAR of symptomatic, rapidly enlarging, or ruptured PRA or TAAA treated with physician modified endograft (PMEG) and company manufactured devices (CMD). Outcomes were technical success, 30-day morbidity and mortality, and 1 year aortic related outcomes.

Results: Thirty-two patients (23 male, mean age, 74 ± 9 years) underwent F-BEVAR using PMEG or CMD over a 12-year period. Fourteen patients underwent emergent repair for contained rupture and 18 patients underwent urgent repair for symptomatic, mycotic, or rapidly growing aneurysms. Aneurysm classification was PRA in 10 patients and TAAA in 22 (9 extent IV and 13 extent I-III). Twenty-three patients (72%) were repaired with PMEG and 8 patients (26%) with CMD. Technical success was 97% with a total of 98 renal-mesenteric arteries incorporated using 67 fenestrations (68%), 29 directional branches (29%), and 2 double-wide scallops (2%). A 30-day mortality was 6%, with 1 patient expiring from unclear causes after hospital discharge and the other from mesenteric ischemia. Mortality and major adverse events MAEs otherwise occurred in 16 patients (50%), including minor stroke in 3 patients, transient paraparesis and heart failure in 1 patient each, and early return to the operating room in 6 patients. Mean follow-up was 24 ± 22 months. At 1-year, overall survival, freedom from aortic-related mortality and freedom from secondary intervention were 70% ± 8%, 94% ± 3 and 83% ± 7, respectively.

Conclusions: Urgent F-BEVAR of selected patients with PRA and TAAA is a feasible and potentially safe treatment in patients with suitable anatomy, with low rates of early mortality and spinal cord complications. Long-term follow-up is needed to assess the durability of repair and device-related complications.