Resolved Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Following Stent Graft Treatment: A Report of Five Cases

Complete aneurysm resolution is the hallmark of successful endoluminal stent-graft treatment. We describe 5 patients in whom an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disappeared completely at mid-term follow-up after endovascular stent-graft placement. We reviewed 45 patients (43 men and 2 women) who underwent AAA repair using an endovascular technique, from April 1997 to December 2001. Mean AAA diameter was 58.3 mm. On 48-month follow-up, 12 aneurysms had not changed in size, 4 had grown, 16 had shrunk, and 5 had resolved completely. We describe these 5 patients in detail. The 5 patients were all men, mean age 68 years; their mean aneurysmal sac diameter was 54 mm. The only common finding in all of them was patency of lumbar and inferior mesenteric arteries at pre-procedure evaluation as well as at follow-up. Mean time to complete resolution was 18 months. No major complications were encountered. AAA may resolve completely after endovascular stent-graft implantation. Patent side branches may perhaps contribute to AAA disappearance by antegrade flow. A larger patient population should be reviewed, however, before any statistical conclusion can be drawn.