Long-term results after open repair of inflammatory infrarenal aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term outcome after open repair of inflammatory infrarenal aortic aneurysms. METHODS: A total of 62 patients (mean age, 68.9 ± 8.8 years; 91.9% male) undergoing open surgery for inflammatory aortic aneurysm from 1995 until 2014 in a high-volume vascular center were retrospectively evaluated. The patients' demographics, preoperative and postoperative clinical characteristics, imaging measurements, and procedural data were collected. Study end points were preoperative and postoperative sac diameter, evolution of periaortic fibrosis and development of hydroureteronephrosis detected by computed tomography (CT) scan, and mortality and morbidity after 30 days and at the time of maximum follow-up. RESULTS: The mean abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter was 67.3 ± 16.7 mm. A total of 30 patients (48.4%) were asymptomatic, 27 patients (43.5%) were symptomatic, and 5 patients (8.1%) were treated for ruptured aneurysm. In 25 patients (40.3%), an aorta-aortic tube graft was implanted; in 37 patients (59.7%), an aortic bifurcation graft was used. Median operating time was 208 minutes (range, 83-519 minutes). Median aortic clamping time was 31 minutes (range, 14-90 minutes); in 25 patients (40.3%), suprarenal aortic cross-clamping was necessary. Hydroureteronephrosis was preoperatively diagnosed by CT scan in 16 patients (25.8%), with the need for a ureteral stent in 11 patients (17.7%). Aneurysm- and procedure-associated 30-day mortality was 11.3% (n = 7), with septic multiple organ failure in four patients and cardiac arrest in three patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 33.9% (n = 21 patients). Median follow-up was 71.0 months (range, 0.2-231.6 months). At 1 year, 2 years, 4 years, and 6 years, overall survival was 83.4%, 79.6%, 79.6%, and 72.6%, respectively. Six patients (9.7%) required a reintervention during follow-up, predominantly aneurysm related and caused by aortoenteric fistula and graft infection (three of five patients). Median maximum thickness of preoperative perianeurysmal inflammation on CT was 10 mm (range, 2-22 mm), which decreased in 15 of 16 (94%) patients with available postoperative CT scans. Postoperative median thickness of perianeurysmal inflammation on CT was 6 mm (range, 0-13 mm). Hydroureteronephrosis persisted in two of nine (22.2%) patients at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery in patients with inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms is associated with a substantial amount of perioperative complications. After surgery, the perianeurysmal inflammation decreases in most patients on follow-up CT. However, because the inflammatory process does not totally resolve, patients require lifelong surveillance for hydroureteronephrosis and development of aortoenteric fistulas.

Indications for and outcome of open AAA repair in the endovascular era.

The benefits, safety and efficacy of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is well documented and intensively reported in multiple randomized trials and meta-analysis. Therefore, EVAR became the first choice of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) treatment in almost 70-100% of patients. Consecutively, open repair (OR) is performed less frequently in morphologically preselected patients. Anatomical condition remains the most important factor for indication for OR. Especially unfavorable intrarenal landing zone based on difficult neck anatomy like very short neck or excessive neck angulation is still the most predictive factor. Furthermore, patients presenting additional iliac aneurysms, aortoiliac occlusive disease or variations of renal arteries are recommended for OR. Randomized trials like EVAR 1, DREAM and OVER from the year 2004/2005 and 2009 showed lower 30-day mortality rates in EVAR compared to OR. However, the late mortality rates after two years became equal in both treatment options. Furthermore, reinterventions after EVAR occur more frequently than after OR. Analysis from our own data showed a higher 30-day mortality in the patients who underwent OR in the endovascular era (15% vs. 2.5%), however the number of emergency open AAA repair because of ruptured aneurysms was much higher in the endovascular era (32.5% vs. 5%). In conclusion, treatment of AAA has changed in the past decade. Nevertheless OR of AAA still remains as a safe and durable method in experienced surgeons, even in the endovascular era. High volume centres are needed to offer the best patients' treatment providing the best postoperative outcome. Therefore OR must remain a part of fellowship training in the future. To decide the best treatment option many facts like patients' fitness and preference or finally the anatomic suitability for endovascular repair have to be considered.