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RecruitingNCT07064460Updated Feb 4, 2026

Duke Customized Aortic Aneurysm Repair With Endovascular Stent-grafts - Duke CARES Trial

An interventional study of Physician Modified Endovascular Graft in Aortic Disorders, sponsored by Chandler Long, MD. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-04.

Sponsored by Chandler Long, MD · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to see if physician modified endovascular grafts (PMEG) can be used safely for the treatment of aortic disorders. The surgeon will modify a commercially available graft tailored to the participant's anatomy for surgery. The researchers will follow participants for 5 years, which will require regular visits to the clinic for follow-up imaging and follow-up blood tests.

Read the detailed description

The primary objective of the clinical investigation Duke CARES Trial is to assess the use of physician-modification of commercially available, off-the-shelf, endovascular stent-grafts to treat juxtarenal, pararenal and paravisceral complex abdominal aneurysms or thoracoabdominal aneurysms in high-risk for open surgery subjects having appropriate anatomy. The primary intent of the study is to assess safety and efficacy of the device acutely (i.e., treatment success and technical success), at 30 days (i.e., the rate of major adverse events (MAE)) and at 6 months, 12 months and annually to 5 years (i.e., the proportion of treatment group subjects that achieve and maintain treatment success).

Additionally, the study will assess domains for improvement of patient selection criteria, device design, operative techniques, and follow-up regimens to benefit patients undergoing complex endovascular aneurysm repair

Main Study - Statistical Cohort Physician Modified Endovascular Grafts are indicated for endovascular repair of juxtarenal, pararenal, paravisceral and thoracoabdominal aneurysms, in high-risk for open surgery subjects having appropriate anatomy as defined in the eligibility section.

Non-statistical cohort Patients with life-threatening aortic disease who have no acceptable surgical or endovascular alternatives will be allowed to receive treatment under this IDE. Enrollment of these patients under the IDE permits systematic data collection and FDA oversight, while their separation from the primary study cohort preserves the integrity of the safety and effectiveness analyses. This approach provides a treatment option for critically ill patients by offering access to a potential therapeutic option within a regulated and monitored environment without compromising the scientific validity of the trial. The patients in this cohort will follow standard of care, which includes follow-up at 1 month, 6 months and then annually. Data collection and presentation in this cohort will be consistent with the primary study cohort; however, data from this cohort will not be included in the statistical analysis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Aortic Disorders

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Keywords

  • aortic disorders
  • endovascular grafts
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

MAIN COHORT

Inclusion criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • A participant may be entered into the study if the participant has at least one of the following: An aneurysm with a maximum diameter of > 5.5 cm or 2 times the normal diameter just proximal to the aneurysm using orthogonal (i.e, perpendicular to the centerline) measurements; Aneurysm with a history of growth > 0.5 cm in 6 months; Saccular aneurysm deemed at significant risk for rupture; Symptomatic aneurysm; Ruptured aneurysm

AND

  • Extent of aorta to be treated: juxtarenal, pararenal that include 1 or 2 renal and/or accessory renal arteries, paravisceral that includes celiac artery and/or superior mesenteric artery, and/or thoracoabdominal
  • High risk of morbidity and mortality with open surgical repair as defined by:

    a. Anatomic Criteria (Previous abdominal surgery; Previous thoracotomy; Previous aortic surgery) b. Physiologic Criteria (ASA Category III or higher; Age >70 years; Previous myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, or coronary artery stent; Coronary stress test with a reversible perfusion defect; Congestive heart failure (CHF); Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD))

  • Iliac or femoral access vessel morphology that is compatible with vascular access techniques, devices or accessories, with or without use of a surgical conduit
  • Nonaneurysmal aortic segment proximal to the aneurysm (neck) with a minimum neck length of 25 mm (Diameter in the range of 18 mm - 42 mm; Angle less than 60o relative to the axis of the aneurysm; Angle less than 60o relative to the axis of the suprarenal aorta);

    • Minimum branch vessel diameter greater than 5 mm
    • Iliac artery distal fixation site greater than 20 mm in length and diameter in the range of 9 mm - 21 mm (for use of ZFEN)
    • Contralateral iliac artery distal fixation site greater than 20 mm in length and diameter in the range of 7.5 mm - 20 mm.
    • Age: ≥ 18 years old
    • Life expectancy: > 2 years

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

GENERAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Able to be treated in accordance with the instructions for use with a currently marketed endovascular prosthesis
  • Unwilling to comply with the follow-up schedule
  • Inability or refusal to give informed consent by subject or legal representative
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Prefers to receive treatment at another hospital with access to a non-physician modified endovascular prosthesis
  • Refusal of blood transfusions for religious or personal reasons
  • Participation in another investigational clinical or device trial, with the exception of another investigational endovascular stent-graft protocol or percutaneous aortic valve protocol, not encompassed by the IDE protocol and performed remotely from the fenestrated procedure (> 30 days). Examples include remote (>30 days) participation in a thoracic, abdominal or iliac branch device trial, or participation in a percutaneous aortic valve trial.
  • Mycotic aneurysm or evidence of active systemic infection

MEDICAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Known sensitivities or allergies to the materials of construction of the devices, including nitinol (nickel, titanium), polyester, polypropylene, gold, stainless steel, and/or solder (tin, silver).
  • Known hypersensitivity or contraindication to anticoagulation or contrast media that cannot be adequately medically managed
  • Uncorrectable coagulopathy
  • Body habitus that would inhibit x-ray visualization of the aorta or exceeds the safe capacity of the equipment

    • Morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 or BMI 30-39.9 with comorbidities)
  • Major surgical or interventional procedure unrelated to the treatment of the aneurysm planned \< 30 days of the endovascular repair
  • Unstable angina (defined as angina with a progressive increase in symptoms, new onset at rest or nocturnal angina)
  • Baseline creatinine greater than 2.0 mg/dL
  • History of connective tissue disorders (e.g., Marfan Syndrome, Ehler's Danlos Syndrome)
  • Deemed a high risk due to significant comorbidities, adjudicated by severity according to the Society for Vascular Surgery reporting standards for endovascular aortic repair involving the renal-mesenteric arteries

ANATOMICAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Thrombus or excessive calcification within the neck of the aneurysm
  • Presence of significant thrombus and/or excessive calcification within the intended proximal or distal seal zone of the aneurysm.
  • Branch stenosis > 75% (if left untreated)
  • Anatomy that would not allow maintenance of at least one patent hypogastric artery

    • Inadequate femoral or iliac access to accommodate the required delivery systems.
    • Requirement for iliac conduit in cases of inadequate femoral/iliac access
    • Absence of a suitable non-aneurysmal segment of distal thoracic aorta and significant aortic tortuosity.
    • Target vessel anatomy not compatible with fenestrated or branched stent graft incorporation, including vessels with severe stenosis, tortuosity and/or insufficient size to accommodate stent graft placement.
    • Early target vessel bifurcation precluding safe or effective stent graft placement.
    • Unsuitable iliac artery fixation site and/or anatomy for iliac limb extension or iliac branch device placement, as defined by the device instructions for use

Note: Patients with life-threatening aortic disease who have no acceptable surgical or endovascular alternatives will be allowed to receive treatment under this IDE in the non-statistical cohort

Non-statistical Cohort

This cohort will include patients who meet the inclusion criteria and meet any of the above exclusion criteria* with the exception of the following:

  • Able to be treated in accordance with the instructions for use with a currently marketed endovascular prosthesis
  • Subject prefers to receive treatment at another hospital with access to a custom-made endovascular prosthesis
  • Refusal to give informed consent by the subject or legal representative. Note: Inability to consent prior to surgery will not be exclusionary if it is for life-saving measures.
  • Known sensitivities or allergies to the materials of construction of the devices will be allowed in a life-threatening situation where the patient would not survive open surgery.
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Physician Modified Endovascular Graft

    The participant's surgeon will modify a commercially available graft tailored to their anatomy for their surgery.

    Device: Physician Modified Endovascular Graft

Interventions

  • DevicePhysician Modified Endovascular Graft

    The participant's surgeon will modify a commercially available graft tailored to their anatomy for their surgery. All components used to create the final device (PMEG), made specifically for each participant and tailored to their individual anatomy, are FDA-approved, although the final graft itself (the PMEG) is considered investigational.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of major adverse events (MAE)

    The primary safety endpoint is freedom from major adverse events (MAE) at 30 days or during hospitalization if this exceeds 30 days. MAE include death, bowel ischemia, myocardial infarction, paraplegia, renal failure, respiratory failure, stroke, and estimated procedural blood loss \> 1000 cc.

    Time frame: 30 days, or during hospitalization if this exceeds 30 days

  2. Proportion of study participants with treatment success

    Treatment success requires all the following criteria to be met: * Technical success * Absence of death from the initial procedure, secondary intervention, or aorta-related cause * Absence of persistent type I or type III endoleak * Absence of aneurysm sac expansion \>5 mm * Absence of device migration \>10 mm * Absence of failure due to device integrity issues * Absence of aneurysm rupture * Absence of conversion to open surgical repair * Device infection or thrombosis

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. Technical success

    Technical success - defined as the successful introduction, deployment and withdrawal of the device, in the absence of surgical conversion or mortality, absence of Type I and III endoleak, absence of branch occlusion ensuring unimpeded flow to the branch vessel(s) intended for preservation or absence of graft limb obstruction.

    Time frame: Within 24 hours

  2. Incidence of death

    Time frame: 30 days

  3. Incidence of bowel ischemia

    Time frame: 30 days

  4. Incidence of myocardial infarction

    Time frame: 30 days

  5. Incidence of paraplegia

    Time frame: 30 days

  6. Incidence of renal failure

    Time frame: 30 days

  7. Incidence of respiratory failure

    Time frame: 30 days

  8. Incidence of stroke

    Time frame: 30 days

  9. Estimated procedural blood loss > 1000 cc

    Time frame: During procedure

  10. Incidence of paraparesis

    Time frame: 30 days

  11. Proportion of study participants with treatment success

    Treatment success requires all the following criteria to be met: • Technical success • Absence of death from the initial procedure, secondary intervention, or aorta-related cause • Absence of persistent type I or type III endoleak • Absence of aneurysm sac expansion \>5 mm • Absence of device migration \>10 mm • Absence of failure due to device integrity issues • Absence of aneurysm rupture • Absence of conversion to open surgical repair • Device infection or thrombosis

    Time frame: 30 days, 6 months, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years

  12. Proportion of participants who experience any of the specified events

    Events include: * Aneurysm enlargement * Aneurysm-related mortality * Aneurysm rupture * Conversion to open repair * Secondary intervention for: * Migration * Type I (a, b, c) endoleak (See definitions and Figure 1) * Type III (a, b, c) endoleak (See definitions and Figure 1) * Device integrity failure (e.g., fracture) * Patency-related events (i.e., device stenosis or occlusion and embolic events) * Renal failure * All-cause mortality * Endoleaks * Device integrity failure (e.g., fracture) * Patency -related events (i.e., endovascular graft or stent component stenosis or occlusion and embolic events) * Other device-related events

    Time frame: 30 days, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Duke University Health System
    Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07064460
Lead sponsor
Chandler Long, MD
Responsible party
Chandler Long, MD (Associate Professor of Surgery, Duke University) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Jul 14, 2025
Start date
Jan 13, 2026
Primary completion
Dec 11, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 11, 2031 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 4, 2026

Study contacts

Ellen R Burkett, MSHS
Contact
ellen.burkett@duke.edu
9196811878
Chandler Long, MD
principal investigator · Duke University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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