Classification of endoleaks

Last revised by Ciléin Kearns ◉ on 23 Jan 2023

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Gaillard F, Kearns C, Cheng J, et al. Classification of endoleaks. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 30 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-1285

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-1285

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/1285?embed_domain=staging.radpair.com

rID:

1285

Article created:

2 May 2008, Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.

View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures

Last revised:

23 Jan 2023, Ciléin Kearns ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Ciléin Kearns had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Ciléin Kearns's current disclosures

Revisions:

16 times, by 10 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Vascular, Interventional

Sections:

Classifications

Synonyms:

Types of endoleak
Endoleak subtypes
Endoleak classification

Endoleaks occur when an aneurysmal sac continues to be pressurised despite endoluminal stent placement. See the full article on endoleaks here.

Classification

There are five types:

type I: leak at graft ends (inadequate seal) - most common after repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms ⁴
- Ia: proximal
- Ib: distal
- Ic: iliac occluder
type II: sac filling via branch vessel (e.g. lumbar or inferior mesenteric artery)
- most common after repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms ⁴ (80%)
- sometimes referred to as a "retroleak"
- enthusiastic examiners sometimes ask for the eponymous name of the large collateral artery between the IMA and SMA = Riolan's arch
- most spontaneously resolve and require no treatment
- IIa: single vessel
- IIb: two vessels or more
type III: leak through a defect in graft fabric (mechanical failure of graft)
- IIIa: junctional separation of the modular components
- IIIb: fractures or holes involving the endograft
type IV: a generally porous graft (intentional design of graft)
type V: endotension