Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair Using the C-TAG (R) Device with ACTIVE CONTROL System

Objective: To describe our experience with the Gore (R) C-TAG (R) endograft with ACTIVE CONTROL System (ACS) (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Flagstaff, AZ, USA) in thoracic aortic repair, focusing on deployment accuracy and aortic wall apposition. Methods: All patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using the Gore (R) C-TAG (R) endograft with ACS from September 2017 to September 2021 were enrolled in a dedicated database and retrospectively analysed. We collected anatomic data on aortic arch angulation and tortuosity, proximal and distal landing zones, and the target for deployment accuracy. Proximal and distal deployment accuracies (PDA and DDA) were measured through intraoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and postoperative computed tomography angiography (CTA) was required to define endograft apposition to the aortic wall. Results: Twenty-eight patients who underwent TEVAR with the Gore (R) C-TAG (R) with ACS at our institution were selected for this study: 46% presented with a type 3 aortic arch and a proximal landing zone < 3 was used in 53% of cases. Mean PDA and DDA were 1.89 +/- 3.5 mm and 0.6 +/- 1.4 mm, and were obtained in 93% and 100% of procedures, respectively. Mean proximal and distal wall apposition were 91 +/- 17% and 98 +/- 5.9%. Fifteen patients required an associated planned procedure, either to revascularize supra-aortic vessels when PLZ was < 3 or to assure optimal distal fixation with EndoAnchors (TM) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) delivery in selected cases. Two patients required reintervention during the same hospitalisation because of type 1a endoleak onset. No further reinterventions were needed during follow-up. Conclusions: Our single-centre analysis found promising results using the Gore (R) C-TAG (R) with ACS, with an optimal accuracy in deployment and wall apposition at both proximal and distal landing zones.