Sutureless intraluminal graft for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm

M. B. Goddard, A. R. Lucas, E. L. Curletti, M. S. Cohn and P. J. Sadighi

A series of seven patients undergoing elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms using sutureless intraluminal aortic prostheses for infrarenal tube grafts was reviewed. Follow-up was five to seven months. There was no morbidity related to the graft and one late mortality. In the uncomplicated cases, the average total operative time was two hours 14 minutes with no bank blood transfusions. The overall average operative time was two hours 41 minutes with an average operative transfusion of 0.28 units and total transfusions of 1.70 units of bank blood per case. Based on this experience and the observation that operative time and blood loss are major determinants of mortality with emergency abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, we believe that use of sutureless intraluminal prostheses in suitable cases of leaking or ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms has the potential to markedly improve survival.