Intraaortic stabilization of the AneuRx stent-graft system: a useful adjunct to minimize device migration.

Overview

The deployment of a Medtronic AneuRx stent-graft system for endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair requires a series of precise maneuvers that include positioning the primary delivery catheter in the infrarenal aorta, retracting the graft-covering sheath, and withdrawing the stainless steel runners. The last step allows the stent-graft to fully expand and attach to the non-aneurysmal aorta and iliac arteries. Such maneuvers may cause the stent-graft to move caudally if the device is placed in a severely angulated aortic neck. We describe a simple, coaxial, stabilization technique utilizing the contralateral introducer sheath which minimizes potential caudal migration of the stent-graft in angulated aortic necks during runner withdrawal.