The 2nd Tianfu Vascular Conference (TFS 2024) was successfully held on May 17-18, 2024, in Chengdu. From the pinnacle of medical science, we foresee the future of the vascular discipline, recognizing the immense responsibility and honorable mission ahead. As members of the vascular field, we are tasked with advancing the discipline and improving diagnostic and treatment standards. In the future, we will analyze the content of TFS lectures to help you understand the most cutting-edge vascular treatment experiences.

At this conference, Professor Li Shuzhen from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University discussed innovative methods for iliac artery branch reconstruction and their clinical applications. This summary provides an overview of her insights.

1. Understanding the Iliac Artery

The iliac artery is crucial as it supplies blood to multiple organs and tissues. This study explored the effectiveness of using balloon-expandable covered stents for reconstructing the iliac artery, particularly in patients undergoing EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) for aortic aneurysms. Statistics show that 43% of abdominal aortic aneurysms involve a unilateral iliac artery, while 11% involve bilateral iliac arteries. Post-embolization, the incidence of erectile dysfunction in men is 10.2%/16.9%.

2. Key Findings and Clinical Significance

Professor Li shared the clinical application of the balloon-expandable covered stent reconstruction technique, highlighting its efficacy in patients with iliac artery involvement. Specifically, in EVAR, the kissing stent technique effectively reduces gluteal claudication (up to 55%), sexual dysfunction (up to 45%), and rare occurrences of bowel ischemia (2-3%) and neurological symptoms.

3. New Technique Introduction: DDMT (Double D Molding Technique)

The DDMT technique achieves standard kissing stents by using two 7mm VBX balloon-expandable covered stents in a 14mm vessel. Through two 10mm PTA balloon expansions, a good Double D structure is attained, improving the match between the stent and the main stent, and reducing endoleak.

4. Case Analysis

Professor Li discussed several cases using the balloon-expandable covered stent technique, including a 62-year-old male patient who had a coronary stent implanted in 2014 and underwent abdominal aortic stent and iliac artery stent implantation in 2022, demonstrating the long-term effectiveness and stability of the technique.

5. Summary and Outlook

1. Currently, equipment and techniques for iliac artery reconstruction are no longer an issue; the key lies in the choice of methods, with preoperative evaluation data being critical.

2. For patients who had iliac artery preservation early on and now have expanded iliac arteries, for those with short common iliac arteries, or for those with stenotic or normal common iliac artery aneurysms, VBX kissing stent reconstruction of the iliac artery is the preferred choice.

3. This technique is relatively simple to perform, yields definite postoperative results, and has a high patency rate during follow-up.

6. Contact Us

If you have any questions or interests regarding this technique or the Tianfu Vascular Conference, please leave a comment or contact us via email at endovascluar@simtomax.cn. Thank you for your attention. Let’s work together for health!