Minimally invasive or catheter-directed, endoluminal stent-graft treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is a novel and important advance in the armamentarium of the vascular surgeon and interventional therapist. Provided adequate training is available, infrastructure is optimal, and patient selection correct, successful exclusion of AAA can safely and effectively be achieved with low morbidity and mortality by this lesser invasive technique. An important Achilles heel of endovascular repair (EVR) of AAA is back bleeding or endoleak formation due to incomplete sealing or bridging of aortic branches ostia by endoluminal stents. Significant, recurrent, and persistent retroleaks, a topic of clinical interest, are related to either incompletely sealed-off inferior mesenteric and/or lumbar arteries. The optimal method to diagnose and manage these endoleaks is currently in a state of evolution. In the process of stent-graft treatment of AAA, other important aortic branches are also bridged that may potentially present with the sequelae of peripheral ischemia. This review re-emphasizes the anatomical and clinical importance of abdominal aortic branches relevant to conventional aortic surgery and EVR of AAA.
Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.