Early Experience with the Covera Stent Graft as a Bridging Stent in Branched Thoraco-Abdominal Endovascular Aneurysm Repairs

Purpose: To evaluate the Covera Plus (Bard, Tempe, Arizona) covered stent as a bridging stent in branched thoraco-abdominal endovascular aneurysm repair (BEVAR). Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 112 self-expandable stents was performed at 2 university centers between August 2017 and March 2019. Thirty-one consecutive BEVAR procedures were studied (21 males; mean age, 75 years; 29 American Society of Anesthesiologists grade III/IV) with 119 patent target vessels (7 did not receive the studied device). Primary endpoints were technical success, branch instability, and primary/secondary clinical success. Secondary endpoints included primary/secondary patency and any adverse events. Results: Technical success was 100%. Median follow-up was 12 months (interquartile range, 6–14 months). Branch instability was registered twice (2/112), due to immediate renal occlusion and type Ic endoleak; no additional events occurred during the follow-up. Primary clinical success was 84%. There were 2 immediate deaths, 1 upper limb ischemia, 1 hemorrhage from splenic artery, and 1 type Ic endoleak; these last 3 events were successfully treated, with a secondary clinical success of 100% that was maintained during the follow-up. One late death occurred. Primary patency was 99% (111/112) and 100% (105/105) within 30 days and at the end of the study period,respectively. Adverse events included 4 acute kidney injuries and 2 spinal cord ischemia. No type I/III endoleaks, occlusion, fracture, or dislodging were diagnosed after 30 days. Conclusions: The stent graft seems safe and effective for bridging in BEVAR with low branch instability and high patency rate. Longer follow-up is required to confirm these promising results.