The management of severe aortoiliac occlusive disease: Endovascular therapy rivals open reconstruction

Article Outline

• Abstract
• Methods
  • Patients
  • Operative technique
  • Data analysis and statistical methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• Author contributions
• Acknowledgment
• Tables and Figures (online only). 
• References
• Copyright

Objective

Aortobifemoral bypass (ABF) grafting has been the traditional treatment for extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). This retrospective study compared the outcomes and durability of recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting (R/PTAS) vs ABF for severe AIOD.

Methods

Between 1998 and 2004, 86 patients (161 limbs) underwent ABF (n = 75) or iliofemoral bypass (n = 11), and 83 patients (127 limbs) underwent R/PTAS. All patients had severe symptomatic AIOD (claudication, 53%; rest pain, 28%; tissue loss, 12%; acute limb ischemia, 7%). The analyses excluded patients treated for aneurysms, extra-anatomic procedures, and endovascular treatment of iliac stenoses. Original angiographic imaging, medical records, and noninvasive testing were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier estimates for patency and survival were calculated and univariate analyses performed. Mortality was verified by the Social Security database.

Results

The ABF patients were younger than the R/PTAS patients (60 vs 65 years; P = .003) and had higher rates of hyperlipidemia (P = .009) and smoking (P < .001). All other clinical variables, including cardiac status, diabetes, symptoms at presentation, TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus stratification, and presence of poor outflow were similar between the two groups. Patients underwent ABF with general anesthesia (96%), often with concomitant treatment of femoral or infrainguinal disease (61% endarterectomy, profundaplasty, or distal bypass). Technical success was universal, with marked improvement in ankle-brachial indices (0.48 to 0.84, P < .001). Patients underwent R/PTAS with local anesthesia/sedation (78%), with a 96% technical success rate and similar hemodynamic improvement (0.36 to 0.82, P < .001). At the time of R/PTAS, 21% of patients underwent femoral endarterectomy/profundaplasty or bypass (n = 5) for concomitant infrainguinal disease. Limb-based primary patency at 3 years was significantly higher for ABF than for R/PTAS (93% vs 74%, P = .002). Secondary patency rates (97% vs 95%), limb salvage (98% vs. 98%), and long-term survival (80% vs 80%) were similar. Diabetes mellitus and the requirement of distal bypass were associated with decreased patency (P < .001). Critical limb ischemia at presentation (tissue loss, hazard ratio [HR], 8.1; P < .001), poor outflow (HR, 2; P = .023), and renal failure (HR, 2.5; P = .02) were associated with decreased survival.

Conclusion

R/PTAS is a suitable, less invasive alternative to ABF for the treatment of severe AIOD. Repair of the concomitant femoral occlusive disease is often needed regardless of open or endovascular treatment. Infrainguinal disease negatively affects the durability of the procedure and patient survival.

Extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) often results in debilitating symptoms and limb-threatening symptoms in the setting of multilevel occlusive disease. The treatment of AIOD remains gratifying for the patient and surgeon.¹ Operative or endovascular treatment often results in rapid symptom abatement, clearly discernible hemodynamic changes, and durable prevention of recurrent symptoms.

Severe AIOD traditionally has been treated with aortobifemoral bypass (ABF). However, endovascular therapies for arterial occlusive disease have evolved, leading to the preferential treatment of iliac stenoses by using endovascular means, with high technical success rates and low morbidity. This has been mirrored by a decreasing number of patients undergoing ABF.², ³ Treatment of aortoiliac occlusions, defined as TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) B or higher,⁴ remains a more challenging endovascular treatment modality than the treatment of iliac stenoses.

Endovascular treatment for AIOD has become more frequent with the realization that it is safe and the durability of the procedure is acceptable. Furthermore, endovascular procedures in the proximal arterial beds appear to have greater durability than endovascular treatment of the distal arteries. Lastly, endovascular procedures are often used as first-line therapy for AIOD because many believe that operative options are not lost, even if the endovascular therapy is unsuccessful. Still, many questions remain about this evolving treatment paradigm.

The purpose of this study was to review our contemporary experience treating AIOD with open reconstruction and compare the results with endovascular therapy during the same time interval. Particular attention was paid to periprocedural safety, technical outcome, midterm procedural durability for both open and endovascular treatment modalities, and patient survival.

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Methods 

Patients 

After Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective review was performed of patients at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) from Jul 1, 1998, to Dec 31, 2004, who underwent an open or endovascular procedure for symptomatic AIOD. During this time, 86 patients underwent ABF (n = 75) and iliofemoral bypass (n = 11) for treatment of severe AIOD supplying blood flow to 161 limbs, and 83 patients underwent recanalization and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (R/PTAS) supplying blood flow to 127 symptomatic limbs (44 bilateral, 39 unilateral). We recently showed that R/PTAS was technically feasible and safe for iliac occlusions in 89 consecutive patients.⁵ This study includes many of the patients previously reported in the endovascular group but extends the follow-up interval and focuses on comparing open vs endovascular results based on limbs treated.

Over time, R/PTAS has overtaken ABF as the preferential treatment for severe AIOD at CCF. In the first year of this experience, 15 ABFs and one R/PTAS were performed. However, in the last year, 10 ABFs and 22 R/PTAS procedures were performed. Of note, patients with AIOD represented a small fraction of all patients being treated for peripheral atherosclerotic occlusive disease. The number of ABFs performed fell after 2004, precluding a meaningful contemporary comparison.

All clinical, perioperative, and demographic data were obtained through review of original hospital and physician records, including data collected prospectively in a departmental registry. The original angiographic imaging was reviewed by captured and stored electronic images (MagicView, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) to confirm the diagnosis of complete aortic (n =16 in the R/PTAS group) or iliac occlusion and stratify by TASC criteria. Only patients with native symptomatic complete aortic or iliac occlusion (TASC-B or higher) requiring recanalization as a part of their endovascular treatment were included. Patients with acute limb ischemia with thrombosis in the setting of native chronic AIOD were included. The analysis excluded patients undergoing endovascular treatment such as PTA or stenting for iliac stenoses. Also excluded were patients with iliac dissection, an associated abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), or iliac recanalization before or during AAA endograft placement.

Preoperative demographic data were obtained, including gender, risk factors, and symptoms. Coronary artery disease was characterized as patients with no active disease (low risk), optimized cardiac function (intermediate risk), or active disease with angina or heart failure (high risk). Hyperlipidemia included patients with this diagnosis or who were being treated for elevated plasma lipids (usually with statins), or both. Patients characterized as having kidney dysfunction included elevated serum creatinine concentration (>1.5 mg/dL) and dialysis-dependent status. Chronic limb ischemia symptoms were stratified into disabling claudication, rest pain, and presence of tissue loss (gangrene or ulceration).

Operative technique 

Both ABF and R/PTAS procedures were performed by the faculty of The Cleveland Clinic Department of Vascular Surgery. The ABF procedures were preferentially performed using a transperitoneal approach. End-to-end proximal anastomoses were used in 76% of ABF cases unless bilateral external iliac occlusions or other anatomic constraints dictated an end-to-side proximal anastomosis. Bifurcated Dacron prostheses were used with spatulated end-to-side distal anastomoses. Percutaneous procedures were performed in dedicated endovascular suites with the capability to perform concomitant open vascular procedures, as previously described.⁵

The most common technique for recanalization of an occlusion was either intraplaque or subintimal passage of a hydrophilic wire and catheter through antegrade or retrograde approaches (Fig 1, online only). Re-entry devices were not routinely used. Of significance, open endarterectomy and patch angioplasty were performed when disease extended into the common femoral artery. In general, primary stenting of iliac occlusions was predominantly performed with self-expanding nitinol stents except in cases of common iliac artery orificial occlusions, where balloon-expandable stents were used.

Data analysis and statistical methods 

Periprocedural data, associated morbidity, and mortality ≤30 days of the procedure were determined. Follow-up documentation of patency of the treated aortoiliac lesion included the presence of palpable femoral/distal artery pulses, resolution of symptoms, or noninvasive vascular laboratory testing, or a combination of these. The last included ankle-brachial indices (ABIs), pulse-volume recordings, and color-flow Doppler ultrasound scans.

We were able to obtain reliable follow-up data for 81 of 86 ABF patients (94%) and for 72 of 83 R/PTAS patients (87%). The average length of follow-up was 21 months. Primary and secondary patency and limb salvage were determined in concordance with the Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines.⁶ Loss of patency was determined by the loss of previously palpable pulses, patients presenting with recurrent symptoms, a drop in ABI >0.15, Doppler ultrasound findings, or a combination of these findings. Failures underwent repeat angiography.

Categoric factors were summarized by frequency and percentage, and continuous measure distributions were described using the mean. Comparisons of categoric measures were performed on both the limb- and person-level using χ² tests and Fisher exact tests when numbers of patients were small for a given level. Age differences between groups were compared using t tests.

Survival, limb salvage, and patency were summarized using Kaplan-Meier estimates and 95% confidence limits overall, and by treatment group. Estimates of survival and patency are shown at 1, 2, and 3 years. Mortality was verified by the Social Security Death Index database. Marginal Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the relative risk (hazard ratios [HR]) between groups in patency and limb salvage outcomes. These models fit the data, while adjusting variability measures for the potential correlation between outcomes from the same patient (multiple limbs per patient). Traditional Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze mortality. For most outcomes, the 3-year estimates of survival and patency are presented along with P values from the Cox proportional hazards model. Note that the HR from the Cox model describes the average difference in risk between groups across the entire study period and may differ in magnitude and, potentially, direction from the estimates at 3 years. Analyses were performed using SAS 9.1 software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). A significance level of 0.05 was assumed for all tests.

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Results 

Patients undergoing ABF were younger (60 vs 65 years, P = .003) and more commonly had a history of hyperlipidemia and smoking (Table I). Other clinical variables were similar, including coronary artery disease status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and renal failure. Despite the lack of randomization, the patients in these two groups had similar qualities. Most patients had disabling claudication, and approximately 40% in both groups had critical limb ischemia causing rest pain or ulceration. A small group of patients presented with acute limb ischemia. Patients with TASC-B, -C, and -D lesions were equally represented in both groups (Fig 2, online only). Patients undergoing ABF had TASC-B, -C, and -D lesion morphology of 23%, 27%, and 50%, respectively, similar to 21%, 30%, and 49% for patients undergoing R/PTAS.

Table I. Preoperative clinical factors for patients undergoing aortobifemoral bypass, or recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting for extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease

Variable	ABF (n = 86)	R/PTAS (n = 83)	Pa
Clinical and demographic
Age, mean y	60	65	.003
<60 y, %	46	26	.009
Female gender, %	35	43	.33
CAD, %			.85
Low	38	34
Intermediate	47	48
High	15	18
Hypertension	67	66	.87
Diabetes	20	17	.32
IDDM	5	1
Hyperlipidemiab	67	46	.009
Smokingc	87	44	<.001
Renal failure, %
Creatinine >1.5 mg/dL	4	8	.70
Dialysis	5	5
Symptoms, %
Claudication	54	51	.53
Rest pain	30	27
Tissue loss	12	12
Acute limb ischemia	4	10
Anatomic and operative factors
TASC class, %			.86
B	23	21
C	27	30
D	50	49
Poor outflow,d %	43	31	.14
Prior PTA or stent, %	23	9	.04

ABF, aortobifemoral bypass; CAD, coronary artery disease; IDDM, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; R/PTAS, recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting; TASC, TransAtlantic InterSociety Consensus.

General anesthesia was used for 96% of the ABF procedures, and 85% of R/PTAS cases were done under local or regional anesthesia (P < .001, Table II). Management of the concomitant infrainguinal disease was important in both groups. In patients undergoing ABF, 50% had either a unilateral or bilateral endarterectomy or profundaplasty, or both, for treatment of bulky femoral disease. An additional 11% underwent simultaneous lower extremity bypass at the time of ABF. In the R/PTAS group, 21% of patients underwent either femoral reconstruction or distal bypass and required regional or general anesthesia, and the remaining 79% underwent exclusively percutaneous procedures under local anesthesia.

Table II. Perioperative results for patients undergoing aortobifemoral bypass or recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting for extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease

Variable	ABF (n = 86)	R/PTAS (n = 83)	Pa
Anesthesia, %			<.001
General	96	14
Regional	4	7
Local	0	79
Initial thrombolysis, %	1	18	<.001
Femoral management, %
Native	39	79	<.001
Unilateral CFA	20	13
Bilateral CFA	30	2
Distal bypass	11	6
Ankle-brachial index
Before	0.48	0.36
After	0.84	0.82	<.001b
Peri-op mortality, %	7	4	.54
Post-op complications, %
Myocardial infarction	1	1	.99
Respiratory failure	3	0	.25
Wound infection	5	2	.44
Limb ischemia/thrombosis	2	6	.16
Renal dysfunction	1	4	.21

ABF, Aortobifemoral bypass; CFA, common femoral endarterectomy and/or profundaplasty; R/PTAS, recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting.

Postoperatively, the mean ABI increased significantly from 0.48 to 0.84 in the ABF patients and from 0.36 to 0.82 in the R/PTAS patients (P < .001 for both groups). Six patients (7%) undergoing ABF died ≤30 days postoperatively compared with three patients (4%) undergoing R/PTAS; however, this was not statistically different (P = .5). Postoperative complications occurred in both groups, with slightly higher rates of respiratory failure and wound infection in the ABF group and slightly higher rates of limb ischemia/thrombosis and renal dysfunction in the R/PTAS group. None of these complications were statistically different between groups (Table II).

Primary patency for the complete cohort was 84% at 36 months (Table III, online only; Fig 3, A). Primary patency was significantly higher for patients undergoing ABF compared with patients undergoing R/PTAS (93% vs 74%, P = .002). Assisted primary patency rates were 93% for all patients, 97% for ABF, and 90% for R/PTAS patients. The secondary patency rate for all patients was 96% at 3 years (Fig 3, B), with no difference between the ABF and R/PTAS patients. Four R/PTAS patients underwent successful restoration of occluded stented segments with thrombolysis and repeat PTA, and one patient underwent a femorofemoral bypass after failed attempts at restoring stent patency. Limb salvage (Fig 3, C) and survival (Fig 4) were similar for the two groups at 98% and 80%, respectively.

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• Fig 3. 

  A, Kaplan-Meier curve estimates for (A) primary patency, (B) secondary patency, and (C) limb salvage in patients undergoing aortobifemoral (ABF; solid line) bypass vs recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting (R/PTAS, dashed line) over 36 months (standard error <10%). A, Primary patency for ABF bypass was 93%, which was significantly higher than 74% for patients undergoing R/PTAS (P = .002). B, Secondary patency was 97% for patients undergoing ABF bypass vs 95% for R/PTAS. No significant difference was found between groups (P = .3). C, Limb salvage rates were 98% for both groups (P = .97).

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• Fig 4. 

  Survival for patients undergoing aortobifemoral (ABF; solid line) bypass vs recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting (R/PTAS, dashed line) was equivalent at 36 months (80%) by Kaplan-Meier analyses. Standard error <10%.

Univariate analyses of demographic variables and risk factors and their association with patency was performed (Table IV, online only). For primary patency, the presence of diabetes mellitus and distal occlusive disease requiring a bypass significantly decreased primary patency of all patients treated for severe AIOD. Patients undergoing a concomitant distal bypass with aortoiliac revascularization had a 3-year primary patency of 59% compared with 84% for all other patients (HR, 3.1; P = .027). In addition, younger patients (<60 years) undergoing R/PTAS were associated with decreased primary patency (71% vs 75%, P = .034). Interestingly, neither female gender, smoking, presenting symptoms, nor poor outflow as characterized by superficial femoral artery occlusions were associated with primary patency differences. Also, none of the other clinical variables examined, including hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease status, and renal insufficiency adversely affect primary patency. TASC classification was associated with patency rate changes in patients undergoing R/PTAS. Interestingly, patients with TASC-D lesions had a 3-year patency of 90%, much higher than either TASC-B or -C groups (P = .025). Univariate analyses were also performed for variables associated with secondary patency and limb salvage but did not reveal further information given the small sample size and limited failures.

Survival of this cohort with severe AIOD was examined (Table V). Interestingly, the diagnosis or treatment (mostly with statins) of hyperlipidemia, or both, was associated with increased 3-year survival (90% vs 68%; HR, 0.4; P = .005). Patients with renal failure (59% vs 83%, HR 2.5, P = .02), and poor outflow (71 vs. 84%, HR 2.0, P = .023) were associated with decreased survival rates. Patients with increasing severity of the initial presenting symptom were clearly associated with decreasing survival rates. Patients with claudication had survival of 91% at 3 years, whereas patients with rest pain (77%, HR, 2.5) and tissue loss (63%, HR, 8.1) had lower rates (P < .001). Presenting with acute limb ischemia in a small group of patients was associated with a 3-year survival of only 34%. There was a trend towards decreased survival in patients with worsening diabetes mellitus status. Other variables examined, including age, gender, cardiac status, smoking history, TASC classification, and type of anesthesia, had changes in survival rates that were not statistically significant.

Table V. Univariate analyses of selected variables examined for association with survival for all patients with severe aortoiliac occlusive disease undergoing aortobifemoral bypass or recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting

Variable	Group	Patients, No.	3-year, % (95% CI)	HR (95% CI)	P vs reference groupa	P overalla
Age <60 y	No	103	76(68-85)	1.0		.19
	Yes	56	87(78-96)	0.6(0.3-1.2)
Female gender	No	97	75(67-84)	1.0		.24
	Yes	62	87(79-95)	0.7(0.4-1.3)
Hyperlipidemia	No	69	68(56-79)	1.0		.005
	Yes	89	90(83-96)	0.4(0.2-0.8)
CAD	Low	57	80(70-91)	1.0		.43
	Intermediate	75	85(76-93)	0.9(0.5-1.7)	0.70
	High	27	66(48-84)	1.5(0.7-3.4)	0.34
Diabetes	None	124	83(76-90)	1.0		.072
	NIDDM	29	72(55-88)	2.1(1.1-4.1)	.03
	IDDM	5	60(17-100)	1.8(.4-7.7)	.41
Hypertension	No	53	79(68-90.0)	1.0		.79
	Yes	105	80(73-88)	1.1(0.6-2.1)
Smoking	No	53	83(72-93)	1.0		.73
	Yes	91	81(72-89)	0.9(0.5-1.7)
Renal failureb	None	141	83(76-89)	1.0		.020
	Yes	18	59(36-83)	2.5(1.2-5.4)
Symptoms	Claudication	84	91(85-98)	1.0		<.001
	Rest pain	45	77(65-90)	2.5(1.1-5.7)	.03
	Tissue loss	19	63(41-85)	8.1(3.5-18.7)	<.001
	ALI	11	34(5-63)	10.5(4.0-27.7)	<.001
Poor outflow	No	98	84(77-92)	1.0		.023
	Yes	56	71(59-83)	2.0(1.1-3.7)

ALI, acute limb ischemia; CAD, coronary artery disease; CI, confidence intervals; HR, hazard ratios; IDDM, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; NIDDM, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We carefully explored multivariable modeling, but these analyses were limited by the number of patients in this series and the limited failures. After adjusting for other selected variables, loss of primary patency was associated with revascularization using R/PTAS compared with ABF (HR, 4.6; P < .001) and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (HR, 9.7; P < .001). Also, patients undergoing a concomitant distal bypass at the time of aortoiliac revascularization were associated with a loss of primary patency of the aortoiliac segment (HR, 5.6; P = .010). For overall survival, multivariable analyses indicated that worsening renal function (creatinine >2.5 mg/dL) adversely affected survival (HR, 12.2; P = .015). Poor outflow, as defined by superficial femoral artery occlusion, was associated with diminished survival (HR, 2.1; P = .025), whereas hyperlipidemia (and statin treatment) was significantly associated with increased survival (HR, 0.38; P = .003).

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Discussion 

We believe this is the first contemporary study of open revascularization vs endovascular treatment of AIOD. During this 6-year interval, we had a balanced use of both open and endovascular treatment of AIOD in the same group of vascular surgeons. Despite the nonrandomized nature of this study, the two groups undergoing ABF and R/PTAS were well matched in number and other salient clinical variables. The TASC consensus statement, recently updated in 2007, provides a framework to assess the treatment of aortoiliac lesions by stratifying lesion length and morphology.⁴, ⁷ Importantly in the present series, TASC classifications were the same in both groups, indicating that the burden of occlusive disease was similar in both groups and that easier, less extensive cases were not reserved for endovascular treatment.

Patients undergoing R/PTAS were older but had similar clinical variables as patients undergoing ABF. Most underwent the procedure under local anesthesia, with high levels of technical and hemodynamic success. Primary patency for R/PTAS was lower, but all other long-term measures, including secondary patency, limb salvage, and survival, were similar to patients undergoing ABF. Patency was affected by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Surprisingly, patients undergoing R/PTAS with TASC-D lesions were associated with better patency. This may indicate that there was better recognition of the extent of disease, leading to more complete revascularization using PTAS. Regardless, all patients undergoing R/PTAS may benefit from postoperative surveillance to identify restenosis.

A concomitant distal bypass was performed selectively in patients with severe multilevel disease, as applied in other institutions.⁸ However, patients who required concomitant distal revascularization along with either ABF or R/PTAS had dismal patency rates, perhaps indicating a more virulent atherosclerotic process.

Survival was better in patients with hyperlipidemia, most of whom were receiving statin therapy. Renal failure, increasing severity of presenting symptoms, and poor outflow were associated with decreased survival, the latter two again reflecting the atherosclerotic burden in a patient.

Some technical issues are worthy of discussion. Recanalization of heavily calcified vessels can be challenging. Ensuring catheter delivery to the true lumen both above and below the recanalized segment is critical to successful therapy. Preoperative duplex ultrasound imaging or computed tomography angiography allows delineation of patients with femoral atherosclerotic disease that requires alternatives to local anesthesia to allow femoral endarterectomy and reconstruction. In the early years of this experience, thrombolysis was used in selected patients to decrease the chronic thrombus burden before recanalization, angioplasty, and stenting. This has largely been abandoned and is reserved only for patients with acute limb ischemia and evidence of acute thrombosis. Multilimb access is often required, with brachial artery access occupying an increasing role in current procedures. Systemic heparinization during the procedure and antiplatelet therapy after the procedure for 3 to 6 months is routine.

Aortoiliac occlusions are more complex and challenging than stenoses to treat with endovascular means, and endovascular treatment has been assumed to be of limited durability in this setting. Initial attempts at iliac recanalization for iliac occlusions were complicated by significant embolization, prompting many to question the usefulness of this technique.⁹, ¹⁰ However, chronic occlusions of the iliac artery can represent 13% or more of the lesions encountered in large series of endovascular management of iliac lesions.¹¹ Since 1995, review of the published data on endovascular treatment of complex aortoiliac occlusions reveals the primary patency is 69% to 76% at 2 years, with secondary patency rates of 85% to 95% at 2 years.¹², ¹³, ¹⁴, ¹⁵ Furthermore, overall complication rates were low in recent series (1.4% to 4.8%), likely due to improvements in technique and device technology. In a series of 212 patients with chronic iliac occlusions, successful recanalization was accomplished in nearly 90%, with nearly all patients showing with marked clinical improvement.¹⁶ Primary patency at 4 years was 75.7%, similar to our experience.

Despite a large literature on ABF, most articles were written in the 1970s and 1980s, before endovascular therapy began supplanting much of the volume for open reconstruction.¹⁷ The most extensive review of data on morbidity and mortality of open ABF was done by de Vries and Hunink in 1997.¹⁸ A meta-analysis of 25 articles demonstrated a cumulative 4.4% mortality rate and 12.2% complication rate. A subgroup analysis showed a decrease in mortality and complication rates to 3.3% and 8.3%, respectively, in more recent time intervals. The overall 5-year patency rate was 91% for patients with claudication and 87% for patients with critical limb ischemia. The recognition that addressing profunda femoris orificial lesions leads to improved ABF graft patency has been highlighted by previous authors.¹⁹

Hertzer recently reviewed a 28-year personal experience with direct and extra-anatomic reconstruction for AIOD at The Cleveland Clinic.²⁰ Of note, this experience entailed an interval from 1976 to 2002, with only a handful of patients included in the current analyses. Perioperative mortality was 2.3% after direct reconstruction, 5.6% after femorofemoral bypass, and 12% after axillofemoral bypass. Direct reconstruction with aortofemoral or aortoiliac bypass led to durable patency rates of 85% at 5 years and 77% at 10 years. Extra-anatomic bypass and younger patients were associated with decreased patency rates. The finding that younger patients have poorer durability after ABF has been corroborated by Reed et al.²¹ They found that patients aged <50 years had 5-year patency rates of 66% vs 87% for patients aged 50 to 59 years and 96% for those aged >60 years. This significant difference was thought to be secondary to a more virulent atherosclerotic process, especially in the infrainguinal vessels, and smaller aortic size. Interestingly, survival was approximately 90% at 5 years and comparable in the three age groups. The younger patient with AIOD may require repeat intervention after initial successful ABF given the long-term survival and ongoing atherosclerotic process.

Limitations of our study are worthy of mention. This is a retrospective, nonrandomized study in a referral center where many of the patients are from out-of-state and international locations; thus, consistent follow-up is extremely difficult. Nevertheless, most of the patients that followed up with us at 1 year were also seen in subsequent years of follow-up, allowing assessment of midterm durability and survival at 3 years. Longer follow-up is ideal and may reveal data that alter our current conclusions. In addition, clinical variables (ie, smoking) affecting outcome may have been inconsistently reported in the patient record. Mortality, however, was verified by using the Social Security Death Index database, which allowed a robust survival analysis. The choice of ABF vs R/PTAS was left to the surgeon treating the patient, leading to inherent biases. Clinical testing was not standardized and left to the discretion of the treating physician. Thus, all patients did not have ABI, duplex imaging, or other noninvasive imaging along with physical examination findings at follow-up. Ideally, a randomized controlled trial comparing open and endovascular treatment of AIOD is needed to minimize confounding variables. Given the preference for less invasive therapies, this could be a difficult trial to complete with regards to patient recruitment and enrollment.

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Conclusions 

Despite these limitations, our current results demonstrate an increasing ability by a multiphysician vascular surgery group to treat extensive iliac disease by endovascular means. The treatment of AIOD can be accomplished with either open or endovascular means with excellent technical success. Primary patency is significantly better with open reconstruction, but secondary patency, limb salvage, and survival are nearly equivalent between groups. Extensive lesions do not preclude successful endovascular treatment. An aggressive posture to surgically treat the concomitant femoral lesions that are often encountered in patients with iliac occlusive disease is required for AFBF patients as well as those undergoing R/PTAS. However, caution in adding a concomitant distal bypass may be warranted. Endovascular treatment is a suitable alternative for extensive AIOD and can be accomplished in a less invasive manner, with most midterm outcomes comparable with open reconstruction.

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Author contributions 

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We thank Dr Sunita Srivastava for her assistance with this clinical project.

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Tables and Figures (online only) 

Table III (online only). Kaplan-Meier estimates of patency, limb salvage, and survival^a at 1, 2, and 3 years are provided overall and by treatment group

Measure	Group	Limbs, No.	Year, % (95% CI)			HR (95% CI)	Pb
			1	2	3
Primary patency	Overall	269	92(88-96)	87(82-93)	84(77-90)
	ABF	144	93(87-98)	93(87-98)	93(87-98)	1.0	.002
	R/PTAS	125	90(84-96)	82(73-91)	74(61-86)	3.9(1.6-9.0)
Secondary patency	Overall	269	97(94-99)	97(94-99)	96(92-99)
	ABF	144	97(93-100)	97(93-100)	97(93-100)	1.0	.30
	R/PTAS	125	97(94-100)	97(94-100)	95(89-100)	2.5(0.4-14.5)
Limb salvage	Overall	269	98(95-100)	98(95-100)	98(95-100)
	ABF	144	98(95-100)	98(95-100)	98(95-100)	1.0	.97
	R/PTAS	125	98(94-100)	98(94-100)	98(94-100)	0.9(0.2-5.6)
Survival	Overall	159	87(82-92)	84(79-90)	80(74-86)
	ABF	77	84(76-93)	83(75-92)	80(71-89)	1.0	.76
	R/PTAS	82	89(82-96)	85(78-93)	80(71-89)	1.1(0.6-2.0)

ABF, Aortobifemoral bypass; CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; R/PTAS, recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting.

Table IV (online only). Univariate analyses of selected variables examined for association with primary patency

Variable	Group	Limbs, No.	3-year, % (95% CI)	HR (95% CI)	P vs reference groupa	P overalla
Age <60 y
All	No	167	83(74-92)	1.0		.37
	Yes	102	85(76-95)	1.4(0.7-2.7)
ABFB	No	76	92(85-99)	1.0		.82
	Yes	68	94(85-100)	0.9(0.2-3.3)
R/PTAS	No	91	75(60-90)	1.0		.034
	Yes	34	71(53-90)	2.2(1.1-4.6)
Female gender
All	No	167	81(71-91)	1.0		.86
	Yes	102	86(79-94)	0.9(0.4-2.0)
ABFB	No	94	93(86-100)	1.0		.70
	Yes	50	91(82-99)	0.7(0.2-3.5)
R/PTAS	No	73	71(56-87)	1.0		.13
	Yes	52	81(66-95)	1.8(0.8-3.7)
Diabetes
All	None	207	86(79-93)	1.0		<.001
	NIDDM	50	84(69-99)	1.5(0.6-3.8)	.36
	IDDM	10	NEb	7.4(2.8-19.6)	<.001
ABFB	None	105	95(91-100)	1.0		<.001
	NIDDM	29	97(90-100)	0.8(0.1-6.9)	.84
	IDDM	8	0.00(0-0)	11.6(3.6-37.6)	<.001
R/PTAS	None	102	74(60-89)	1.0		<.001
	NIDDM	21	72(47-97)	1.5(0.7-3.5)	.34
	IDDM	2	NEb	5.3(2.8-10.0)	<.001
Smoking
All	No	79	77(64-89)	1.0		.18
	Yes	160	85(77-94)	0.6(0.3-1.3)
ABFB	No	14	92(78-100)	1.0		.86
	Yes	102	92(85-98)	1.2(0.1-13.9)
R/PTAS	No	65	74(60-88)	1.0		.59
	Yes	58	75(55-94)	0.8(0.4-1.7)
TASC
All	B	52	79(63-94)	1.0		.047
	C	69	76(62-90)	1.0(0.4-2.1)	.91
	D	134	90(82-98)	0.3(0.1-0.9)	.03
ABFB	B	32	96(88-100)	1.0		.60
	C	32	91(80-100)	0.8(0.2-3.6)	.81
	D	66	90(79-100)	0.4(0.1-2.7)	.33
R/PTAS	B	20	53(22-84)	1.0		.025
	C	37	61(36-86)	0.8(0.3-1.8)	.51
	D	68	90(79-100)	0.2(0.1-0.7)	.01
Poor outflow
All	No	165	85(77-93)	1.0		.83
	Yes	94	82(71-92)	1.1(0.5-2.3)
ABFB	No	80	95(89-100)	1.0		.66
	Yes	56	90(80-100)	1.3(0.4-4.5)
R/PTAS	No	85	77(64-90)	1.0		.56
	Yes	38	66(41-91)	1.3(0.5-3.1)
Femoral management
All	Native	157	81(72-90)	1.0		.027
	Uni CFA	43	87(70-100)	0.4(0.1-1.2)	.11
	Bi CFA	50	95(89-100)	0.4(0.1-1.3)	.12
	Bypass	17	59(24-94)	3.1(0.9-10.6)	.07
ABFB	Native	57	95(88-100)	1.0		<.001
	Uni CFA	28	100(100-100)	NEb	<.001
	Bi CFA	46	95(88-100)	1.2(0.3-5.1)	.80
	Bypass	11	61(25-97)	7.4(1.4-38.1)	.02
R/PTAS	Native	100	74(61-87)	1.0		<.001
	Uni CFA	15	67(32-100)	0.3(0.1-1.6)	.16
	Bi CFA	4	NEb	NEb	<.001
	Bypass	6	NEb	2.4(0.3-20.0)	.41

ABF, aortobifemoral bypass; Bi CFA, bilateral common femoral endarterectomy and/or profundaplasty; CI, confidence intervals; HR, hazard ratios; IDDM, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; NIDDM, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; Uni CFA, unilateral common femoral endarterectomy and/or profundaplasty; R/PTAS, recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting.

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• Fig 1 (online only) 

  A, Transbrachial aortography documents an aortic occlusion in a 68-year old woman with rest pain. Late images document the presence of distal iliac arteries reconstituted via collaterals (not shown) B, Femoral access is obtained with ultrasound guidance and endovascular recanalization is performed using a hydrophilic guidewire and catheter. Primary stenting using self-expanding nitinol stents with postdeployment balloon angioplasty restores normal pulsatile perfusion to both lower extremities. Bottom panels, Inaudible Doppler signals preoperatively to ankle-brachial indices of 1.0 bilaterally, transmetatarsal and digital waveforms are shown.

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• Fig 2 (online only) 

  Distribution of patients undergoing aortobifemoral (ABF; striped bars) bypass and recanalization, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting (R/PTAS, dotted bars) classified by TransAtlantic InterSociety Concensus (TASC) criteria. Both groups had similar distribution of extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease treated by either open (ABFB) or endovascular (R/PTAS) techniques.

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