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OBJECTIVES: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with different cannulation strategies is determined according to surgical position and patient condition. However, no cannulation guidelines have been proposed. This retrospective study assessed the outcomes of diverse ECMO cannulation strategies in patients undergoing lung transplantation (LTx). METHODS: Data of patients undergoing intraoperative veno-arterial ECMO-assisted LTx were retrospectively collected from December 1st, 2015 to October 31st, 2021. Patients were classified into three groups based on the different cannulation strategies: femoral artery-femoral vein (F-F)-ECMO, axillary artery-femoral vein (A-F)-ECMO, and ascending aorta-femoral vein (AAO-F)-ECMO. The F-F-ECMO, A-F-ECMO, and AAO-F-ECMO groups comprised 34, 44, and 30 patients, respectively. MAIN RESULTS: The AAO-F-ECMO group exhibited a significantly shorter duration of postoperative ECMO therapy (3 vs. 2 vs. 0 days, P < 0.01).the level of postoperative proBNP was lower on the third and seventh days (P < 0.001). AAO-F-ECMO patients had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative infections, heart failure, and bleeding (P < 0.05). Similar outcomes were observed in postoperative survival rates among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ascending aorta-femoral vein ECMO can provide sufficient and effective aerobic blood to perfuse organs with fewer side effects than cannulation in the femoral artery-femoral vein or axillary artery-femoral vein.
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The definitive management of combined aortic arch and descending aortic pathologies such as aneurysms and dissections is either a single or staged operation associated with high morbidity and mortality. Stroke, kidney dysfunction, coagulopathy and high blood transfusion requirements are all affiliated with hypothermic circulatory arrest and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass times. Considering the perilous nature of these operations, the authors describe a step-by-step zone 2 arch replacement as a staged frozen elephant trunk procedure, which provides an adequate landing zone for a later-placed endovascular stent yet maintains a short cardiopulmonary bypass time and no circulatory arrest.
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Aorta, Thoracic , Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic , Aortic Dissection , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation , Humans , Aorta, Thoracic/surgery , Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/surgery , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/methods , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/adverse effects , Aortic Dissection/surgery , Endovascular Procedures/methods , Male , Stents , Cardiopulmonary Bypass/methods , Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Female , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Osteophytes grow on vertebral bodies and sometimes form a sharp edge, which can induce traumatic abdominal aortic injury (TAAI). However, these cases are extremely rare, although osteophytes grow in almost everyone with age. Herein, we report a rare case of TAAI due to a sharp osteophyte dislocation following a compression fracture, with a literature review. An 83-year-old man presented with back pain after a fall and subsequently developed shock. His lactate level was elevated on arrival, although we could not identify the cause of the shock. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a compression fracture of the lumbar spine, a sharp osteophyte penetrating the abdominal aorta, and contrast media spurting to the retroperitoneum. We immediately transfused, administered continuous noradrenaline to maintain his vital signs, and consulted a vascular surgeon and radiologist to arrange for an emergency operation. However, the operating room was not immediately available. We tried to evacuate a trauma center, which took time due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Thereafter, the patient's condition deteriorated, resulting in a pulseless electrical activity, and he passed away 3 h after arrival. Afterward, the previous CT image and a sharp osteophyte were observed in the lumbar vertebrae in contact with the abdominal aorta. There were only eight reports where the aorta was injured by osteophytes. From our review, unlike the proportion of common TAAI, injuries due to strong external forces were relatively small. There was no specific symptom, and the vertebral levels of osteophytes were concentrated in Th12-L3. The most common morphology of aorta injuries is pseudoaneurysm formation. Moreover, five of the patients developed hemorrhage. Considering these previous reports, we should pay attention to the aorta in front of the vertebral bodies regardless of the mechanism of injury when a CT image of patients shows osteophytes.
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Background and Aims: Before performing any surgical or endovascular procedure, the anatomical classification of the patient is essential for treatment planning. Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA) is a standard method to evaluate thoracic aortic anatomy and associated variations. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was performed among adult participants without any peripheral vascular diseases undergoing thoracic CTA. Demographic data were collected along with factors retrieved from the patients CTA, such as the type of aortic arch, length, and diameter of ascending and descending aorta, the diameter of the main branches and the distance between branches, the angles by which the main arteries rise from their origins, and left anterior oblique angle of the aortic arch. Results: 164 patients, with a mean age of 57 ± 19.3 years, entered the study. 53 (33.8%) had a bovine arch, which was mostly observed among males. A decrease in the frequency of type I arch and also an increase in the frequency of type 2 and 3 arches was observed with the increase in age (p < 0.001). The BCT diameter had a direct association with both left common carotid artery diameter (r = 0.478, p < 0.001) and left subclavian artery diameter (r = 0.470, p < 0.001). The length of the descending aorta had a direct correlation (r = 0.294, p < 0.001) with the length of the ascending aorta. Conclusion: Complex endovascular interventions are vital method in treating aorta, head, and neck pathologies. Accurate knowledge of thoracic aortic anatomy is becoming crucial for diagnosis and intervention planning.
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In the avian species, genetic modification by cell nuclear transfer is infeasible due to its unique reproductive system. The in vitro primordial germ cell modification approach is difficult and cumbersome, although it is the main method of genetic modification in chickens. In the present study, the adenoviral CRISPR/Cas9 vector was directly microinjected into the dorsal aorta of chicken embryos to achieve in vivo genetic modification. The results demonstrated that keratin 75-like 4 (KRT75L4), a candidate gene crucial for feather development, was widely knocked out, and an 8bp deletion was the predominant mutation that occurred in multiple tissues in chimeras, particularly in the gonad (2.63-11.57%). As we expected, significant modification was detected in the sperm of G0 (0.16-4.85%), confirming the potential to generate homozygous chickens and establishing this vector as a simple and effective method for genetic modification in avian species.
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Adenoviridae , Aorta , CRISPR-Cas Systems , Chickens , Genetic Vectors , Animals , Chick Embryo , Genetic Vectors/genetics , Chickens/genetics , Adenoviridae/genetics , Aorta/metabolism , Gene Editing/methods , MaleABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Luminal linear findings (LLF) of the abdominal aorta are often called aortic "flaps," triggering concern for acute aortic syndrome. However, these "flaps" are unlikely to represent intimomedial dissection given isolation to the abdominal aorta, short length, and incidental discovery. We aim to characterize the etiology and stability of LLF. METHODS: CT reports finalized January 2021-December 2022 were queried for terms "focal dissection," "dissection flap," "linear filling defect," and "linear flap." Patients were excluded for thoracoabdominal dissection, LLF in non-aortic vessel, no prior contrast-enhanced imaging, and less than 6 months between exams. Index exam reviewed for presence of LLF, atherosclerosis, and aortic caliber at LLF site. Prior exam assessed for aortic caliber and aortic findings at subsequent LLF site. Patients with unchanged LLF between exams were categorized "Stable" and patients with interval change "Dynamic." RESULTS: Seven hundred and two cases identified. After exclusions, imaging from 70 patients reviewed; 1 excluded for no LLF. Stable Cohort of 39 patients had median follow-up 31 months (range 6-284 months). 87% of aortas were moderately/severely atherosclerotic (n = 16 moderate, n = 18 severe), while 69% were ectatic/aneurysmal (n = 27). Dynamic Cohort of 20 patients had median follow-up of 70 months (range 14-244 months). All were atherosclerotic and 80% were ectatic/aneurysmal compared to 25% ectatic/aneurysmal at prior imaging. Mural thrombus was present at the site of the future LLF in 17 of 20, thrombosed PAU in 1, and no focal findings in 2. CONCLUSION: Short-segment LLFs within the abdominal aorta arise from prior mural thrombus and demonstrate long term stability. Clinically and radiographically indolent, LLFs should not be called dissection flaps.
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BACKGROUND: Time-resolved, three-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (4D flow MRI) plays an important role in assessing cardiovascular diseases. However, the manual or semi-automatic segmentation of aortic vessel boundaries in 4D flow data introduces variability and limits reproducibility of aortic hemodynamics visualization and quantitative flow-related parameter computation. This paper explores the potential of deep learning to improve 4D flow MRI segmentation by developing models for automatic segmentation and analyzes the impact of the training data on the generalization of the model across different sites, scanner vendors, sequences, and pathologies. METHODS: The study population consists of 260 4D flow MRI datasets, including subjects without known aortic pathology, healthy volunteers, and patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) examined at different hospitals. The dataset was split to train segmentation models on subsets with different representations of characteristics such as pathology, gender, age, scanner model, vendor, and field strength. An enhanced 3D U-net convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture with residual units was trained for 2D+t aortic cross-sectional segmentation. The model performance was evaluated using Dice score, Hausdorff distance, and average symmetric surface distance on test data, datasets with characteristics not represented in the training set (model-specific), and an overall evaluation set. Standard diagnostic flow parameters were computed and compared with manual segmentation results using Bland-Altman analysis and interclass correlation. RESULTS: The representation of technical factors such as scanner vendor and field strength in the training dataset had the strongest influence on the overall segmentation performance. Age had a greater impact than gender. Models solely trained on BAV patients' datasets performed well on datasets of healthy subjects but not vice versa. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of considering a heterogeneous dataset for the training of widely applicable automatic CNN segmentations in 4D flow MRI, with a particular focus on the inclusion of different pathologies and technical aspects of data acquisition.
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Key Clinical Message: Anomalous origin of right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta is a rare congenital heart malformation that results in early infant mortality. These patients are at risk for the early development of significant pulmonary hypertension. The surgical management during the early period of life is imperative. Abstract: Anomalous pulmonary artery originating from the ascending aorta (often called hemitruncus) is a rare congenital cardiac defect requiring immediate management in the neonatal period. We report a case of a rare variant of anomalous right pulmonary artery originating from the ascending aorta in combination with pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot. The above-mentioned combination makes the surgical management of such cardiac defect exceedingly demanding.
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BACKGROUND: Aortic blood flow characterization by 4D flow MRI is increasingly performed in aneurysm research. A limited number of studies have established normal values that can aid the recognition of abnormal flow at an early stage. This study aims to establish additional sex-specific and age-dependent reference values for flow-related parameters in a large cohort of healthy adults. METHODS: 212 volunteers were included, and 191 volunteers completed the full study protocol. All underwent 4D flow MRI of the entire aorta. Quantitative values for velocity, vorticity, helicity, as well as total, circumferential, and axial wall shear stress [WSS] were determined for the aortic root [AoR], ascending aorta [AAo], aortic arch [AoA], descending [DAo], suprarenal [SRA], and infrarenal aorta [IRA]. Vorticity and helicity were indexed for segment volume (mL). RESULTS: The normal values were estimated per sex- and age-group, where significant differences between males (M) and females (F) were found only for specific age groups. More specifically, the following variables were significantly different after applying the false discovery rate correction for multiple testing: 1) velocity in the AAo and DAo in the 60-70 years age group (mean±SD: (M) 47.0 ± 8.2cm/s vs. (F) 38.4 ± 6.9cm/s, p=0.001 and, (M) 55.9 ± 9.9cm/s vs. (F) 46.5 ± 5.5cm/s, p=0.002), 2) normalized vorticity in AoR in the 50-59 years age group ((M) 27539 ± 5042s-1mL-1 vs. (F) 30849 ± 7285s-1mL-1, p=0.002), 3) axial WSS in the Aao in the 18-29 age group ((M) 1098 ± 203 mPa vs. (F) 921 ± 121 mPa, p=0.002). Good to strong negative correlations with age were seen for almost all variables, in different segments, and for both sexes. CONCLUSION: This study describes reference values for aortic flow-related parameters as acquired by 4D flow MRI. We observed limited differences between males and females. A negative relationship with age was seen for almost all flow-related parameters and segments.
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Transcatheter aortic valve replacement by alternate access sites allows for treatment of patients with unfavorable anatomy for a transfemoral approach. To our knowledge, we present the first reported case of successful transcatheter aortic valve replacement via the transcarotid approach in a 65-year-old man with a symptomatic severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis and virtually atretic coarctation of the thoracic aorta.
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Aortopathy encompasses a spectrum of conditions predisposing to dilation, aneurysm, dissection, or rupture of the aorta and other blood vessels. Aortopathy is diagnosed commonly in children, from infancy through adolescence, primarily affecting the thoracic aorta, with variable involvement of the peripheral vasculature. Pathogeneses include connective tissue disorders, smooth muscle contraction disorders, and congenital heart disease, including bicuspid aortic valve, among others. The American Heart Association has published guidelines for diagnosis and management of thoracic aortic disease. However, these guidelines are predominantly focused on adults and cannot be applied adeptly to growing children with emerging features, growth and developmental changes, including puberty, and different risk profiles compared with adults. Management to reduce risk of progressive aortic dilation and dissection or rupture in children is complex and involves genetic testing, cardiovascular imaging, medical therapy, lifestyle modifications, and surgical guidance that differ in many ways from adult management. Pediatric practice varies widely, likely because aortopathy is pathogenically heterogeneous, including genetic and nongenetic conditions, and there is limited published evidence to guide care in children. To optimize care and reduce variation in management, experts in pediatric aortopathy convened to generate this scientific statement regarding the cardiovascular care of children with aortopathy. Available evidence and expert consensus were combined to create this scientific statement. The most common causes of pediatric aortopathy are reviewed. This document provides a general framework for cardiovascular management of aortopathy in children, while allowing for modification based on the personal and familial characteristics of each child and family.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study assessed whether a model incorporating clinical features and a polygenic score for ascending aortic diameter would improve diameter estimation and prediction of adverse thoracic aortic events over clinical features alone. METHODS: Aortic diameter estimation models were built with a 1.1 million-variant polygenic score (AORTA Gene) and without it. Models were validated internally in 4394 UK Biobank participants and externally in 5469 individuals from Mass General Brigham (MGB) Biobank, 1298 from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), and 610 from All of Us. Model fit for adverse thoracic aortic events was compared in 401 453 UK Biobank and 164 789 All of Us participants. RESULTS: AORTA Gene explained more of the variance in thoracic aortic diameter compared to clinical factors alone: 39.5% (95% confidence interval 37.3%-41.8%) vs. 29.3% (27.0%-31.5%) in UK Biobank, 36.5% (34.4%-38.5%) vs. 32.5% (30.4%-34.5%) in MGB, 41.8% (37.7%-45.9%) vs. 33.0% (28.9%-37.2%) in FHS, and 34.9% (28.8%-41.0%) vs. 28.9% (22.9%-35.0%) in All of Us. AORTA Gene had a greater area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for identifying diameter ≥ 4 cm: 0.836 vs. 0.776 (P < .0001) in UK Biobank, 0.808 vs. 0.767 in MGB (P < .0001), 0.856 vs. 0.818 in FHS (P < .0001), and 0.827 vs. 0.791 (P = .0078) in All of Us. AORTA Gene was more informative for adverse thoracic aortic events in UK Biobank (P = .0042) and All of Us (P = .049). CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive model incorporating polygenic information and clinical risk factors explained 34.9%-41.8% of the variation in ascending aortic diameter, improving the identification of ascending aortic dilation and adverse thoracic aortic events compared to clinical risk factors.
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OBJECTIVE: Concerns exist about the possible detrimental effects of exercise training on aortic size and valve function in individuals with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). This multicentre international study aimed to determine the characteristics of aortic size and valve function in athletes versus non-athletes with BAV and athletes with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). METHODS: We enrolled competitive athletes with BAV and age- and sex-matched athletes with TAV and non-athletes with BAV. We assessed valve function, aortic size and biventricular measures using echocardiography. Individuals with established moderate-severe AV stenosis, regurgitation or significant aortic dilation were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The study population comprised 504 participants: 186 competitive athletes with BAV (84% males; age 30±11 years), 193 competitive athletes with TAV and 125 non-athletes with BAV. The aortic annulus was greater in athletes with BAV than athletes with TAV and non-athletes with BAV (p<0.001). Both athletic and non-athletic individuals with BAV had greater sinuses of Valsalva, sino-tubular junction and ascending aorta diameters than athletes with TAV (p<0.001). However, no significant differences were found between athletes and non-athletes with BAV. Left ventricular index volumes and mass were greater in athletes with BAV than in the other two groups (p<0.001). Individuals with BAV (athletes and non-athletes) had greater mean gradients than TAV athletes. CONCLUSION: This multicentre international study demonstrates no differences between athletes with BAV and non-athletes with BAV regarding aortic valve function or aortic dimensions. However, athletes with BAV have larger aortic diameters and a relatively worse valvular function than athletes with TAV.
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Background: The aorta, a central component of the cardiovascular system, plays a pivotal role in ensuring blood circulation. Despite its importance, there is a notable lack of idealized models for experimental and computational studies. Objective: This study aims to develop computer-aided design (CAD) models for the idealized human aorta, intended for studying hemodynamics or solid mechanics in both in vitro and in silico settings. Methods: Various parameters were extracted from comprehensive literature sources to evaluate major anatomical characteristics of the aorta in healthy adults, including variations in aortic arch branches and corresponding dimensions. The idealized models were generated based on averages weighted by the cohort size of each study for several morphological parameters collected and compiled from image-based or cadaveric studies, as well as data from four recruited subjects. The models were used for hemodynamics assessment using particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Results: Two CAD models for the idealized human aorta were developed, focusing on the healthy population. The CFD simulations, which align closely with the PIV measurements, capture the main global flow features and wall shear stress patterns observed in patient-specific cases, demonstrating the capabilities of the designed models. Conclusions: The collected statistical data on the aorta and the two idealized aorta models, covering prevalent arch variants known as Normal and Bovine types, are shown to be useful for examining the hemodynamics of the aorta. They also hold promise for applications in designing medical devices where anatomical statistics are needed.
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During embryogenesis, human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) first emerge in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region via transformation of specialized hemogenic endothelial (HE) cells into premature HSC precursors. This process is termed endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition (EHT), in which the HE cells undergo drastic functional and morphological changes from flat, anchorage-dependent endothelial cells to free-floating round hematopoietic cells. Despite its essential role in human HSC development, molecular mechanisms underlying the EHT are largely unknown. This is due to lack of methods to visualize the emergence of human HSC precursors in real time in contrast to mouse and other model organisms. In this study, by inducing HE from human pluripotent stem cells in feeder-free monolayer cultures, we achieved real-time observation of the human EHT in vitro. By continuous observation and single-cell tracking in the culture, it was possible to visualize a process that a single endothelial cell gives rise to a hematopoietic cell and subsequently form a hematopoietic-cell cluster. The EHT was also confirmed by a drastic HE-to-HSC switching in molecular marker expressions. Notably, HSC precursor emergence was not linked to asymmetric cell division, whereas the hematopoietic cell cluster was formed through proliferation and assembling of the floating cells after the EHT. These results reveal unappreciated dynamics in the human EHT, and we anticipate that our human EHT model in vitro will provide an opportunity to improve our understanding of the human HSC development.
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Simple coarctation of the aorta is repaired in an infant by direct end-to-end anastomosis of the aorta or subclavian flap aortoplasty. However, some cases are not detected until late childhood. For school-age patients, greater consideration must be given to risks such as postoperative limb ischemia and the potentially harmful effects of any artificial material on future growth. Here, we describe our technique for these patients, in whom the value of direct anastomosis is uncertain, to minimize the amount of synthetic graft material used while achieving successful anatomical repair.
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Atypical aortic coarctation is an exceedingly rare condition, and there are very few reported cases of anesthetic management for bypass surgery in patients with severe impaired cardiac function. We present the anesthetic management of a 68-year-old woman with atypical aortic coarctation due to Takayasu arteritis and severely impaired cardiac function, who underwent ascending-to-abdominal aorta bypass surgery under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The patient's severe cardiac dysfunction was due to sustained afterload from the coarctation, leading to recurrent episodes of heart failure. Surgical intervention was deemed necessary, and a decision was made to perform a bypass operation. The patient experienced a transient state of shock following induction of anesthesia, but subsequent perioperative care was safely managed with the implementation of ECMO. For bypass surgery performed on patients with severe cardiac dysfunction due to atypical coarctation of the aorta, it is crucial to prepare for potential circulatory collapse during anesthesia induction and the surgical procedure. This preparation includes meticulous planning of the anesthesia induction method and ensuring that ECMO can be established promptly if needed.
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INTRODUCTION: Aneurysmal sac regression is a predictor of long-term outcomes after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This study aimed to compare a large cohort of TREO and non-TREO endografts over a mid-term follow-up and compare abdominal aortic aneurysm sac regression. The hypothesis was that TREO endografts have an increased sac regression by 24 mo. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of all EVARs completed at a single institution between 2015 and 2024. Clinical and imaging data were collected from an institutional database and patients' records. The analysis included all TREO and age, sex, anticoagulation use and current smoking-matched non-TREO endografts that satisfied anatomic indications for use of the TREO graft. The primary outcomes were sac regression at 12 and 24 mo, and secondary outcomes were rates of mortality, endoleak, and reintervention. RESULTS: Twenty-one TREO grafts were matched to 68 non-TREO grafts. The groups were similar in demographics, comorbidities, and preoperative anatomy. Preoperative abdominal aortic aneurysm sac size was larger in the TREO cohort. The mean reduction in sac size in mm was greater in the TREO cohort compared to the non-TREO cohort (-12.6 ± 8.95 versus -7.83 ± 7.74 mm, P = 0.039) over the study period. Cox regression analysis identified the TREO stent graft to be associated with 1-y sac regression (hazard ratio = 2.42, P = 0.019). The incidence of all-cause endoleaks, reintervention, and mortality were similar between cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the TREO endograft offers better mid-term outcomes with respect to sac regression with no differences in the incidence of endoleak, mortality, or reintervention.
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BACKGROUND: Previous studies report that patients of racial/ethnic minorities more frequently present with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs) than their counterparts. The distribution of rAAA treatment modality, whether open aneurysm repair (OAR) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), by race/ethnicity classification remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate disparities, as represented by race/ethnic classification, median income, and insurance status, in the management of rAAA in a national cohort. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients admitted with rAAA managed with either OAR or EVAR from 2002 to 2020 using the National Inpatient Sample, comparing repair type by race/ethnicity group. Multilevel mixed effects logistic regression models, adjusted for patient- and system-level factors, were used to calculate difference in use of OAR or EVAR dependent on race/ethnicity classification. RESULTS: We identified 10,788 admissions for rAAA repairs, of which 9506 (88.1%) were White, 605 (5.6%) were Black, 424 (3.9%) were Hispanic, and 253 (2.4%) were Asian/Native American. Asians/Native Americans underwent the highest frequency of OAR as compared with EVAR (61.7% vs 38.3%). In the adjusted model, there was no statistically significant difference in the use of OAR vs EVAR by race/ethnicity classification. In total, primary payer and median income were also not statistically significant predictors of AAA treatment modality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found no statistical evidence of disparities with respect to race, insurance, or median income and use of OAR or EVAR for the management of rAAA.