Endovascular Solutions for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Fenestrated, Branched and Custom-Made Devices.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has a prevalence of 4.8%. AAA rupture is associated with significant mortality, thus surgical intervention is generally required once the aneurysm diameter exceeds 5.5 cm. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is the predominant repair modality for AAA. However, in patients with complex aortic anatomy, fenestrated or branched EVAR is a superior repair option vs standard EVAR. Fenestrated and branched endoprostheses can be off-the-shelf or custom-made, which offers a more individualised approach. AIM: To summarise and evaluate the clinical outcomes achieved by fenestrated EVAR (FEVAR) and branched EVAR (BEVAR), and to explore the role of custom-made endoprostheses in contemporary AAA management. METHODS: A literature search using Ovid Medline and Google Scholar was conducted to identify literature pertaining to the use and outcomes of fenestrated, branched, fenestrated-branched and custom-made endoprostheses for AAA repair. RESULTS: FEVAR is an effective repair modality for patients with AAA that offers similar early survival, improved early morbidity but higher rates of reintervention in comparison to open surgical repair (OSR). Compared with standard EVAR, FEVAR is associated with similar in-hospital mortality yet higher rates of morbidity, especially regarding renal outcomes. BEVAR outcomes are rarely reported exclusively in the context of AAA repair. When reported, BEVAR is an acceptable alternative to EVAR in the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms and has similar reported complication issues to FEVAR. Custom-made grafts are a good alternative treatment option for complex aneurysms where hostile aneurysm anatomy precludes the use of conventional EVAR and sufficient time is available for the manufacturing of such devices. CONCLUSION: FEVAR offers a very effective treatment for patients with complex aortic anatomy and has been well-characterised over the past decade. RCTs and longer-term studies are desirable for unbiased comparison of non-standard EVAR modalities.

Renal outcomes of suprarenal vs. infrarenal endograft fixation in endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: a narrative review.

Background and Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common pathology with a prevalence of 4.8%. AAA rupture is associated with significant mortality and so early diagnosis followed by regular monitoring is needed until treatment might be considered and plan intervention. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is an established and effective alternative to open surgical repair (OSR) in the treatment of AAAs. Key parameters in defining conventional EVAR suitability include the infrarenal neck length and angulation for the fixation of the proximal graft component. Endograft fixation can be either suprarenal or infrarenal and much debate exists as to which approach is associated with optimum renal outcomes. This study aims to review the current literature with respect to the renal outcomes associated with conventional EVAR using suprarenal fixation (SRF) vs. infrarenal fixation (IRF). Methods: A search was conducted from major search indices (PubMed, Google Scholar and EMBASE) to identify relevant literature pertaining to renal outcomes in EVAR. Recent papers comparing SRF and IRF were evaluated and their findings discussed. Key Content and Findings: The mechanism of renal function decline (RFD) following EVAR is uncertain and likely multifactorial. Aortic morphology, endograft type and surgical technique may all contribute to RFD. There is a significant degree of heterogeneity within the literature regarding study design and definitions of RFD. Recent literature suggests that RFD is more acute for SRF than IRF in the first post-operative year, but the clinical significance of this decline in patients with normal kidney function is questionable. Studies indicate that SRF is associated with accelerated RFD at 5 years, and that the RFD is worse in patients who are female and who have pre-existing renal insufficiency. Conclusions: SRF is associated with a greater decline in renal function than IRF in both short- and long-terms. Although clinically insignificant in the short-term, the limited available long-term evidence suggests that SRF results in a relatively accelerated decline in renal function when compared to IRF, but it is possibly partially explained by the higher prevalence of advanced degenerative/atherosclerotic disease in SRF cohorts. These trends are noted particularly in female patients and in patients with baseline renal insufficiency.

A quality assessment of online patient information regarding tonsillitis using the EQIP tool.

BACKGROUND: Tonsillitis is a common paediatric condition. The decision to seek medical attention and consent to treatment is usually made by parents or guardians. With increased accessibility of the internet, online medical information plays an increasingly significant role in the decision-making process. Little is known regarding the quality of online patient information on tonsillitis, as this has not been previously studied. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to identify the quality of information regarding tonsillitis on websites intended for the public. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of online information on tonsillitis using the following search terms: "Tonsillectomy", "Tonsillitis", "Adenotonsillectomy" and "Tonsil". The first three pages of returned websites were captured and each website was examined using the validated Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool (score 0-36). RESULTS: A total of 92 websites met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The overall median EQIP score was 19 with an interquartile range of 17-22 and a maximum of 32. More than half of all websites originated from the USA (61%) and hospitals were the most common source of information (29%). Most websites failed to describe the quantitative benefits or address the medical intervention costs and insurance issues. Half of the websites included both tonsillectomy and antibiotics as treatments for tonsillitis. Only 68% included complications of tonsillitis or tonsillectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of the quality of online patient information websites regarding tonsillitis by the EQIP tool indicates that most websites were of poor credibility, with minimal information regarding treatment choices and complications. To improve awareness of tonsillitis, there is a need for more informative and patient-centred websites that are compatible with the international quality standard for patient information.

Mid- and long-term outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair in acute and subacute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.

BACKGROUND: Uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (un-TBAD) has been managed conservatively with medical therapy to control the heart rate and blood pressure to limit disease progression, in addition to radiological follow-up. However, several trials and observational studies have investigated the use of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in un-TBAD and suggested that TEVAR provides a survival benefit over medical therapy. Outcomes of TEVAR have also been linked with the timing of intervention. AIMS: The scope of this review is to collate and summarize all the evidence in the literature on the mid- and long-term outcomes of TEVAR in un-TBAD, confirming its superiority. We also aimed to investigate the relationship between the timing of TEVAR intervention and results. METHODS: We carried out a comprehensive literature search on multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE to collate and summarize all research evidence on the mid- and long-term outcomes of TEVAR in un-TBAD, as well as its relationship with intervention timing. RESULTS: TEVAR has proven to be a safe and effective tool in un-TBAD, offering superior mid- and long-term outcomes including all-cause and aorta-related mortality, aortic-specific adverse events, aortic remodeling, and need for reintervention. Additionally, performing TEVAR during the subacute phase of dissection seems to yield optimal results. CONCLUSION: The evidence demonstrating a survival advantage in favor TEVAR over medical therapy in un-TBAD means that with further research, particular trials and observational studies, TEVAR could become the gold-standard treatment option for un-TBAD patients.