Today, Martin Funovics (Vienna, Australia) presented data from the Restore (Relay endovascular registry of thoracic diseases) II registry, which he said confirmed the safety of the Relay and Relay NBS thoracic stent grafts (Bolton Medical) in thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR)
Funovics explained that Restore II was a prospective worldwide registry of 234 patients who have undergone TEVAR with a Relay device. He reported that the Relay device was available as a “clasped” version with conventional bare springs and as an unclasped version with covered springs (Relay NBS). Referring to the unclasped version, Funovics said: “This version for the first time has differential attachment modalities for the inner and outer curvature.” The inner two clasps, he commented, that are guided by long levers from behind rather than proximally. “During the opening process, these two levers can slowly and in a very controlled manner guide the inner curvature apeses to the aortic wall.” He added that the device has been specifically designed for the descending aorta.
The patients in the registry, Funovics reported, reflected the “typical TEVAR patient population”, but he added they did have a “substantial amount” of cardiovascular comorbidities compared with the typical TEVAR population.
Funovics commented that with the Relay and Relay NBS devices, the technical success rate was 95.3% and there was a very low rate of systemic complications. Additionally, the rate of mortality following the procedure was similar to other series.
He concluded: “The Restore II registry confirms the safety and efficacy of our differential detachment mode of the inner and outer curvature springs. The results were comparable, especially in terms of neurological complications, to other registries and a relative high rate of technical success was achieved.”
