Late Open Abdominal Aneurysm Reconstruction and Graft Salvage in a Patient With Persistent Endoleak Type II Following Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.

This study highlights a case of late open conversion repair (OCR) for persistent Type II endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), presenting a 78-year-old male with a history of EVAR for an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Despite conservative management of the initial endoleak, the aneurysm sac's progressive growth necessitated open reconstruction to salvage the graft. Successful postoperative outcomes emphasize the critical need for meticulous intervention strategies and surveillance in managing persistent Type II endoleaks. This case underlines the importance of a tailored approach, leveraging both endovascular and open surgical techniques, to optimize long-term outcomes and prevent aneurysm rupture in complex cases.

Analysis of high-risk factors and mortality prediction of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAAs) are among the most dangerous emergencies in vascular surgery, with a high death rate and numerous risk factors influencing perioperative death. Therefore, identifying the critical risk factors for RAAAs is crucial to increasing their survival rate. Our aim was to identify those risk factors from a wide range of parameters. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of hospitalised RAAA patients treated at this center between May 2004 and January 2023. After comparing the preoperative data of patients who survived and those who died, high-risk characteristics influencing the perioperative care of RAAA patients were identified, and logistic regression analysis was carried out. The mean follow-up time was 45.34 months. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 155 patients (average age 67.4±71.93 years, 123 (78.85%)males, 32 (20.51%)females) were enrolled. The patients participating in the group were divided into survival group (n = 123) and death group (n = 27). The main differences included hemodynamic instability (51.9% vs 28.5%; P=0.019), sudden cardiac arrest (14.8% vs 1.6%; P=0.010), deterioration of consciousness (40.7% vs 17.1%; P=0.007), renal impairment (22.2% vs 2.4%; P=0.001), chronic kidney disease (18.5% vs3.2%; P=0.010). There is also a history of cancer (Ca) (18.5% vs 4.1%; P=0.021). Risk factors for Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) include diastolic blood pressure ≤ 50 mmHg (36.4% vs 8.0%; P=0.025), renal function impairment (18.2% vs 0; P=0.015), and chronic kidney disease (27.3% vs 4.0%; P=0.028). Risk factors for open surgical repair (OSR) include diastolic blood pressure ≤ 50 mmHg (40.0% vs 6.3%; P=0.014). Finally, the above statistically significant factors were analyzed by Logistic regression analysis, and it was found that diastolic blood pressure ≤ 50mmHg, cardiac arrest, renal function damage and Ca history were independent risk factors. We followed 123 individuals and 14 were lost to follow-up, with an overall survival rate of 43.8%. CONCLUSION: Hemodynamics, which includes shock, blood pressure, cardiac arrest, deterioration of consciousness, and other conditions, are the primary risk factors for the perioperative death of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Simultaneously, diastolic blood pressure ≤50mmHg was found to be associated with risk factors for OSR, whereas renal function impairment, chronic renal illness, and diastolic blood pressure ≤50mmHg were associated with risk for EVAR.

Superior Mesenteric Artery Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm Following Infective Endocarditis in a Patient With Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Case Report.

We present a rare case of a 25-year-old woman with rheumatic heart disease who developed a superior mesenteric artery pseudoaneurysm (SMAPA) following infective endocarditis (IE). Initially, she presented with chest pain, dyspnea, and fever, leading to the diagnosis of IE and severe mitral regurgitation. After six weeks of antimicrobial therapy, she developed persistent abdominal pain. Further evaluation revealed a mycotic SMAPA, which was successfully treated with open surgical repair. Postoperatively, her abdominal pain improved significantly, and she was discharged on postoperative day five. The current case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for mycotic pseudoaneurysms in patients with risk factors, even when they present with nonspecific symptoms. The findings also highlight the critical role of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in accurate diagnosis and preoperative planning. The favorable outcome supports current guidelines for managing mycotic SMA pseudoaneurysms in complex scenarios, emphasizing the need for adherence to established protocols and recommendations.

Outcomes Following Different Management of Mycotic Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to present our experience on managing mycotic infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (MIAAA) through a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Data of patients with MIAAA managed in our center from July 2016 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis of MIAAA was made based on: (1) preoperative clinical signs of infection; (2) elevated serologic infection parameters; (3) para-aneurysmal infection features on enhanced computed tomography; and (4) positive blood or tissue cultures. All the patients received standard antibiotic therapy. Surgical management including endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), initial EVAR followed by open re-operation, and initial open surgical repair (OSR) were conducted according to disease seriosity, physical condition, and patient's will. Infection index and clinical outcome were evaluated during the follow-up time. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients (21 men; averaged=66.3 years, range=49-79 years) were included, with a mean follow-up time of 19.9 months (range=1-75 months). Bacteria culture from blood or tissue specimen was positive in 15 patients (Salmonella, n=8; Escherichia coli, n=3; methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus [MSSA], n=1; Klebsiella pneumoniae, n=1; Staphylococcus epidermidis, n=1; Mycobacterium tuberculosis, n=1). Seven patients received OSR as the initial surgical intervention, whereas 14 patients chose EVAR instead. The 2 conservatively managed patients (refused surgery) died within 30 days. The 7 patients who received initial OSR survived till now. Among the 14 patients who underwent initial EVAR, infection deteriorated without exception (14/14, 100%). Three of these patients refused re-operation and died within 6 months. Eleven patients received secondary surgical intervention (10 cases of aneurysm and endograft resection, thorough debridement, subclavian to bi-femoral artery bypass, or in situ aorta reconstruction; 1 case of laparoscopic debridement) and 7 survived the follow-up time. The overall mortality rate was 39.1% (9/23). The mortality rates differed greatly following different intervention methods (merely antibiotic management, 100%; initial open operation, 0%; initial EVAR without secondary operation, 100%; initial EVAR plus secondary operation, 36.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Open surgical repair is still the first choice for hemodynamically stable and low-risk patients. Merely EVAR is related with disastrous results, which should be reserved as a temporary alternative for patients with ruptured aneurysms, hemodynamic instability or high surgical risk, and followed by timely secondary OSR. CLINICAL IMPACT: The management of mycotic or primary-infected aortic aneurysm is challenging; treatment remains controversial. Our center has reviewed our experience over the past 6 years and found that open surgical repair is still the first choice for hemodynamically stable and low-risk patients. Merely endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is related with disastrous results, which should be reserved as a temporary alternative for patients with ruptured aneurysms, hemodynamic instability or high surgical risk, and followed by timely secondary open surgical repair.

Comparison between Zone 2 and Zone 3 distal anastomoses for aortic arch replacement in terms of invasiveness.

OBJECTIVES: Zone 2 anastomosis with total cervical branch reconstruction for acute type A aortic dissection and aortic arch aneurysms became possible after stent-graft introduction. This may be an easier procedure and reduce the risk of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the outcomes between Zone 2 and Zone 3 distal anastomoses. METHODS: After evaluating the patient data in our institute between April 2016 and April 2022, the patients in whom distal anastomosis was performed at Zone 2 with a stent-graft were defined as the Zone 2 group (n = 70). The patients in whom distal anastomosis was performed at Zone 3 were defined as the Zone 3 group (n = 24). RESULTS: The incidence of new-onset recurrent nerve palsy was one patient (1.4%) in the Zone 2 group and six patients (25.0%) in the Zone 3 group (p < 0.001). The lower body perfusion arrest time was 44.3 ± 9.1 min in the Zone 2 group and 52.9 ± 12.8 min in the Zone 3 group (p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality and morbidities. Multivariable analysis showed that only age was an independent predictor of overall mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Performing distal anastomosis at Zone 2 with a frozen elephant trunk or stent-graft reduced the lower body perfusion arrest time and possibly prevented recurrent nerve palsy.

Variability in short-term mortality following repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms across centers and physicians.

BACKGROUND: Variation in the care management of repairs for ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms between centers and physicians, such as procedural volumes, may explain differences in mortality outcomes. First, we quantified the center and physician variability associated with 30- and 90-day mortality risk after ruptured open surgical repair (rOSR) and ruptured endovascular aneurysm repair (rEVAR). Second, we explored wheter part of this variability was attributable to procedural volume at the center and physician levels. METHODS: Two cohorts including rOSR and rEVAR procedures between 2013 and 2019 were analyzed from the Vascular Quality Initiative database. Thirty- and 90-day all-cause mortality rates were derived from linked Medicare claims data. The median odds ratio (MOR) (median mortality risk from low- to high-risk cluster) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (variability attributable to each cluster) for 30- and 90-day mortality risks associated with center and physician variability were derived using patient-level adjusted multilevel logistic regression models. Procedural volume was calculated at the center and physician levels and stratified by quartiles. The models were sequentially adjusted for volumes, and the difference in ICCs (without vs with accounting for volume) was calculated to describe the center and physician variability in mortality risk attributable to volumes. RESULTS: We included 450 rOSRs (mean age, 74.5 ± 7.6 years; 23.5% female) and 752 rEVARs (76.4 ± 8.4 years; 26.1% female). After rOSRs, the 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 32.9% and 38.7%, respectively. No variability across centers and physicians was noted (30- and 90-day MORs ≈1 and ICCs ≈0%). Neither center nor physician volume was associated with 30-day (P = .477 and P = .796) or 90-day mortality (P = .098 and P = .559). After rEVAR, the 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 21.3% and 25.5%, respectively. Significant center variability (30-day MOR, 1.82 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33-2.22]; ICC, 11% [95% CI, 2%-36%]; and 90-day MOR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.37-2.09]; ICC, 10% [95% CI, 3%-30%]), but negligeable variability across physicians (30- and 90-day MORs ≈1 and ICCs ≈0%) were noted. Neither center nor physician volume were associated with 30-day (P = .076 and P = .336) or 90-day mortality risk (P = .066 and P = .584). The center variability attributable to procedural volumes was negligeable (difference in ICCs, 1% for 30-day mortality; 0% for 90-day mortality). CONCLUSIONS: Variability in practice from center to center was associated with short-term mortality outcomes in rEVAR, but not for rOSR. Physician variability was not associated with short-term mortality for rOSR or rEVAR. Annualized center and physician volumes did not significantly explain these associations. Further work is needed to identify center-level factors affecting the quality of care and outcomes for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Intraoperative Predictors and Proposal for a Novel Prognostic Risk Score for In-Hospital Mortality after Open Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (SPARTAN Score).

(1) Background: Several mortality risk scores have been developed to predict mortality in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs), but none focused on intraoperative factors. The aim of this study is to identify intraoperative variables affecting in-hospital mortality after open repair and develop a novel prognostic risk score. (2) Methods: The analysis of a retrospectively maintained dataset identified patients who underwent open repair for rAAA from January 2007 to October 2023 in three Italian tertiary referral centers. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate the association between intraoperative variables and perioperative mortality. Independent intraoperative factors were used to create a prognostic score. (3) Results: In total, 316 patients with a mean age of 77.3 (SD ± 8.5) were included. In-hospital mortality rate was 30.7%. Hemoperitoneum (p < 0.001), suprarenal clamping (p = 0.001), and operation times of >240 min (p = 0.008) were negative predictors of perioperative mortality, while the patency of at least one hypogastric artery had a protective role (p = 0.008). Numerical values were assigned to each variable based on the respective odds ratio to create a risk stratification for in-hospital mortality. (4) Conclusions: rAAA represents a major cause of mortality. Intraoperative variables are essential to estimate patients' risk in surgically treated patients. A prognostic risk score based on these factors alone may be useful to predict in-hospital mortality after open repair.

Surgical Treatment of Persistent Glue Extension Into Common Femoral Vein Following Endovenous Glue Ablation.

Endovenous glue-induced thrombosis (EGIT) is a known complication of endovenous ablation therapy using cyanoacrylate closure glue to treat saphenous insufficiency, where glue extends into the common femoral vein (CFV), causing partial or complete occlusion. We report a case of class III EGIT (over 50% occlusion of CFV) in a young, healthy female who could not tolerate medical therapy. EGIT was treated with high ligation of the great saphenous vein and CFV patch repair. This is a safe option for patients who cannot tolerate anticoagulation therapy due to complications, physical or psychological limitations, or both.

Long-Term Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Patients Aged ≤70 Years.

Objectives: The efficacy of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) against abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in younger patients remains unknown. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate whether the aneurysm-related mortality rate of EVAR is acceptable among patients aged ≤70 years. Methods: Among 644 patients, 148 underwent EVAR (EVAR group), and 496 received open surgical repair (OSR group). The cumulative incidence rates of aneurysm-related death, any intervention, and serious aneurysm-related events after AAA repair were evaluated using the cumulative incidence function in the presence of competing risks. Results: The EVAR group had higher prevalences of several comorbidities, and overall survival for the EVAR group was significantly inferior to that of the OSR group. The cumulative incidence rates of aneurysm-related death, any intervention, and serious aneurysm-related events at 5 years were 1.5%, 11.7%, and 6.4% in the EVAR group and 1.3%, 5.3%, and 5.9% in the OSR group, respectively. EVAR was not a significant prognostic factor of aneurysm-related mortality and serious aneurysm-related events. However, it was an independent poor prognostic factor of any intervention. Conclusion: EVAR was not a significant prognostic factor of aneurysm-related mortality and serious aneurysm-related events. Therefore, it demonstrated acceptable procedure-related long-term outcomes, at least in high-risk young patients.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of endovascular therapy versus open surgical repair for the traumatic lower extremity arterial injury.

OBJECTIVE: For traumatic lower extremity artery injury, it is unclear whether it is better to perform endovascular therapy (ET) or open surgical repair (OSR). This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of ET versus OSR for traumatic lower extremity artery injury. METHODS: The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Databases were searched for studies. Cohort studies and case series reporting outcomes of ET or OSR were eligible for inclusion. Robins-I tool and an 18-item tool were used to assess the risk of bias. The primary outcome was amputation. The secondary outcomes included fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, mortality, length of stay and lower extremity nerve injury. We used the random effects model to calculate pooled estimates. RESULTS: A total of 32 studies with low or moderate risk of bias were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that patients who underwent ET had a significantly decreased risk of major amputation (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.21-0.85; I2=34%) and fasciotomy or compartment syndrome (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.50, I2 = 14%) than patients who underwent OSR. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding all-cause mortality (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.75-1.64, I2 = 31%). Patients with ET repair had a shorter length of stay than patients with OSR repair (MD=-5.06, 95% CI -6.76 to -3.36, I2 = 65%). Intraoperative nerve injury was just reported in OSR patients with a pooled incidence of 15% (95% CI 6%-27%). CONCLUSION: Endovascular therapy may represent a better choice for patients with traumatic lower extremity arterial injury, because it can provide lower risks of amputation, fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, and nerve injury, as well as shorter length of stay.

Mid- and long-term results of open repair for chronic type B aortic dissection in endovascular era.

Medical management is the standard treatment of chronic type B aortic dissection (CTBAD). However, the roles of open surgical repair (OSR) and thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) in patients with CTBAD remain controversial. Thus, this study aimed to assess and compare the mid- and long-term clinical outcomes of OSR via left thoracotomy with that of TEVAR for CTBAD. The data of 85 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for CTBAD from April 2007 to May 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: Group G, which included patients who underwent OSR, and Group E, which included patients who underwent TEVAR. Groups G and E comprised 33 and 52 patients, respectively. Preoperative and postoperative computed tomography (CT) studies were retrospectively analyzed for the maximum diameter. The mean duration of the follow-up period was 5.8 years. Operative mortality did not occur. There was no difference in complications, such as stroke (G: 2 vs. E: 0, p = 0.30), paraplegia (G: 1 vs. E: 1, p = 0.66), and respiratory failure (G: 2, vs. E: 0, p = 0.30). The difference in preoperative factors was observed, including the intervals between onset and operation (G; 4.9 years vs. E; 1.9 years, p < 0.01), maximum diameter in preoperative CT (G; 59.0 mm vs. E; 50.5 mm, p < 0.001), and maximum false lumen diameter (G; 35.5 mm vs. E; 29.0 mm, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the mid- and long-term survival rates (p = 0.49), aorta-related deaths (p = 0.33), and thoracic re-intervention rates (p = 0.34). Postoperative adverse events occurred in Group E: four cases of retrospective type A aortic dissection, two cases of aorto-bronchial fistula, and one case of aorto-esophagus fistula. Aorta-related death and re-intervention rates crossed over in both groups after seven years postoperatively. Although endovascular repair of CTBAD is less invasive, the rate of freedom from re-intervention was unsatisfactory. Some fatal complications were observed in the endovascular group, and the mid- and long-term outcomes were reversed compared with those in the OSR group. Although OSR is an invasive procedure, it could be performed safely without perioperative complications. OSR has more feasible mid- and long-term outcomes.

Follow-up compliance in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair at Veterans Affairs hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: The Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines recommend annual imaging surveillance following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and every 5 years following open surgical repairs (OSR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Adherence to these guidelines is low outside of clinical trials, and compliance at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals is not yet well-established. We examined imaging follow-up compliance and mortality rates after AAA repair at VA hospitals. METHODS: We queried the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for elective infrarenal AAA repairs, EVAR and OSR, then merged in follow-up imaging and mortality information. Mortality rate over time was derived using Kaplan-Meier estimation. Generalized estimating equation with a logit link and a sandwich standard error estimate was performed to compare the probability of having annual follow-up imaging over time between procedure types and to identify variables associated with follow-up imaging for EVAR patients. RESULTS: Our analysis included 11,668 patients who underwent EVAR and 4507 patients who underwent OSR at VA hospitals between the years 2000 and 2019. The 30-day mortality rate for EVAR and OSR was 0.37% and 0.82%, respectively. OSR was associated with lower long-term mortality after adjusting age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification and preoperative renal failure with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.92; P < .01). Of surviving patients, the follow-up imaging rate was 69.1% by 1 year post-EVAR. The follow-up rate after 5 years was 45.6% post-EVAR compared with 63.6% post-OSR of surviving patients. A history of smoking or drinking, baseline hypertension, and known cardiac disease were independently associated with poor follow-up after EVAR. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing elective open AAA repair in the VA hospital system had lower long-term mortality compared with patients who underwent endovascular repair. Compliance with post-EVAR imaging is low. Patient factors associated with poor post-EVAR imaging surveillance were smoking within the last year, excess alcohol consumption, and cardiac risk factors including hypertension, prior myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure.

Surgical Management and Clinical Outcomes of Extracranial Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Extracranial carotid artery (CA) pseudoaneurysms are uncommon and can cause embolic stroke, compressive symptoms, or (rarely) can rupture. It is of paramount importance to treat this entity to avoid life-threatening complications. In this study, the authors described a cohort of patients that required open surgical repair. METHODS: This article reported the authors' experience with open surgical repair of extracranial CA pseudoaneurysms by presenting a retrospective review of data at their institution from 2016 to 2022. RESULTS: Of 8 patients that underwent open repair, 6 were male and 8 were female. The most common etiology was traumatic (penetrating trauma in 4 patients, iatrogenic injury in 2, and blunt trauma in 1) and 1 was infective. All patients presented with a neck mass, and 5 had compressive symptoms. Primary repair was performed in 4 patients, interposition graft using an autologous vein in 2, and patch repair in 2. None of the patients experienced perioperative mortality or stroke; nor did they develop any complications over a median follow-up period of 30 months. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrated that large-size extracranial pseudoaneurysms, whether traumatic or infective etiology, can be safely repaired using an open surgical approach.

Trends in AAA Repair in Australia Over Twenty Years.

Background: The advent of endovascular techniques has revolutionised the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Many countries have seen a transition from open AAA repair (OAR) to endovascular AAA repair (EVAR) over the past 25 years. The only study done in Australia that describes this change was done in the private sector. Majority of healthcare in Australia is delivered through the public, universal healthcare system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends in AAA repair in the Australian public sector over the past two decades. Methods: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Procedures Data Cubes from the National Hospitals Data Collection was used to extract data pertaining to AAA repairs from 2000 to 2021. Population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics was used to calculate incidence of each type of repair per 100,000 population. Results: There were 65,529 AAA repairs performed in the Australian public sector from 2000 to 2021. EVARs accounted for 64.4% (42,205) and OARs accounted for 35.6% (23, 324) of them. EVAR surpassed OAR as the preferred method of AAA repair in 2006. This trend was observed in both males and females and across all age groups. Conclusion: There was a consistent and steady transition from OAR to EVAR over the 21 year period with EVAR surpassing OAR as the preferred method of AAA repair relatively early in Australia compared to other countries. Further research that investigates medium- and long-term outcomes of newer stent grafts is needed to further ascertain the continued viability and effectiveness of this trend in AAA treatment.

The open-first strategy is acceptable for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm even in the endovascular era.

PURPOSE: To examine the surgical findings of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) based on the open-first strategy in the last decade, and to analyze the predictors of in-hospital mortality for RAAA in the endovascular era. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 116 patients who underwent RAAA repair, for whom sufficient data were available [25% female, median age 76 (70-85) years]. Sixteen (13.8%) patients were managed with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and 100 patients (86.2%) were managed with open surgical repair (OSR). RESULTS: Univariate analysis identified base excess (BE) (odds ratio [OR] 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.96; p = 0.006), and preoperative cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) [OR] 15.4; 95% [CI] 1.30-181; p = 0.030), BE (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79-0.96; p = 0.006), shock index (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.01-5.94; p = 0.050), lactic acid (Lac) (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.36; p = 0.026), and blood sugar (BS) > 215 (OR 3.46; 95% CI 1.10-10.9; p = 0.034) as positive predictors of hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that a first-line strategy of OSR for ruptured AAAs is acceptable. Poor preoperative conditions, including a high shock index, CPA, low BE, high Lac, and a BS level > 215 mg/dl, were identified as predictors of hospital mortality, rather than the procedures themselves.

Peri-Operative Mortality and Survival After Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Advanced Age Patients: A National Study from the Norwegian Registry for Vascular Surgery Focused on Nonagenarians.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in nonagenarians has become more frequent. This national observational cohort study aimed to investigate peri-operative mortality and survival after AAA surgery in nonagenarians in Norway. METHODS: All AAA repairs registered in the Norwegian Registry for Vascular Surgery from 2015 to 2021 were identified and stratified into nonagenarians > 90 years old (n = 77), octogenarians 80 - 89 years old (n = 1 362), and patients < 80 years old (n = 4 590). The patient characteristics and comorbidities were recorded, and the 30 and 90 day mortality rates were calculated. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to obtain the estimated median survival and survival curves. RESULTS: In the nonagenarians, the 30 day mortality rates were 2.5% in asymptomatic patients, 33.3% in symptomatic patients, and 59.1% in the patients with a ruptured AAA (rAAA). The estimated median survival (years) were 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95 - 4.59) for asymptomatic AAA, 2.9 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.82, 5.80) for symptomatic AAA, and 0.1 for rAAA (IQR 0.01, 3.04). For nonagenarians surviving the first 90 days, the estimated median survival (years) were 4.2 (95% CI 2.56 - 5.88) for asymptomatic AAA, 3.4 (IQR 2.86, 5.80) for symptomatic AAA, and 3.8 (IQR 1.49, 4.85) for rAAA. The 90 day mortality rates were 100.0%, 80.0%, and 62.5% for asymptomatic, symptomatic, and rAAA, respectively, after open surgical repair (OSR), and 5.1%, 10.0%, and 50.0%, respectively, after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). CONCLUSION: Peri-operative mortality and survival results after AAA surgery in nonagenarians support treatment of selected asymptomatic patients. The 90 day survivors had an expected survival of more than three years, enabling balanced decision making regarding surgical vs. conservative treatment options in this challenging cohort. EVAR is the treatment method of choice for AAA in nonagenarians because most of them would probably live longer untreated than if treated by OSR.

Development of a comorbidity index for patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair (OSR) are two modalities to treat patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Alternative to individual comorbidity adjustment, a summary comorbidity index is a weighted composite score of all comorbidities that can be used as standard metric to control for comorbidity burden in clinical studies. This study aimed to develop summary comorbidity indices for patients who underwent AAA repair. METHODS: Patients who went under EVAR or OSR were identified in National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between the last quarter of 2015 to 2020. In each group, patients were randomly sampled into experimental (2/3) and validation (1/3) groups. The weights of Elixhauser comorbidities were determined from a multivariable logistic regression and single comorbidity indices were developed for EVAR and OAR groups, respectively. RESULTS: There were 34,668 patients underwent EVAR (2.19% mortality) and 4792 underwent OSR (10.98% mortality). Both comorbidity indices had moderate discriminative power (EVAR c-statistic, 0.641; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.616-0.665; OSR c-statistic, 0.600; 95% CI, 0.563-0.630) and good calibration (EVAR Brier score, 0.021; OSR Brier score, 0.096). The indices had significantly better discriminative power (DeLong P <.001) than the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) (EVAR c-statistic, 0.572; 95% CI, 0.546-0.597; OSR c-statistic, 0.502; 95% CI, 0.472-0.533). For internal validation, both indices had similar performance compared with individual comorbidity adjustment (EVAR DeLong P = .650; OSR DeLong P = .431). These indices demonstrated good external validation, exhibiting comparable performance to their respective validation groups (EVAR DeLong P = .891; OSR DeLong P = .757). CONCLUSIONS: ECI, the comorbidity index formulated for the general population, exhibited suboptimal performance in patients who underwent AAA repair. In response, we developed summary comorbidity indices for both EVAR and OSR for AAA repair, which were internally and externally validated. The EVAR and OSR comorbidity indices outperformed the ECI in discriminating in-hospital mortality rates. They can standardize comorbidity measurement for clinical studies in AAA repair, especially for studies with small samples such as single-institute data sources to facilitate replication and comparison of results across studies.

Axillary artery aneurysms in pediatric patients: A narrative review.

OBJECTIVES: Axillary artery aneurysms in children are rare and multifactorial. The presenting clinical picture can range from an incidental discovery to threatening symptoms, including loss of extremity function. With the present study we aim to give a comprehensive review of the existing literature focusing on the etiology and management of this rare but threatening pathology. METHOD: A comprehensive review was made in a multi-staged manner. All identified studies have been categorized based on the type of lesions (true or false aneurysm) and their etiologies. RESULTS: The treatments differ from the extension of the lesions and from the etiology. CONCLUSIONS: Open surgery repair with great saphenous vein is still the best long-term approach, but even endovascular, embolization, or conservative management can be considered.

The Comparison of Endovascular and Open Surgical Treatment for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Terms of Safety and Efficacy on the Basis of a Single-Center 30-Year Experience.

OBJECTIVE: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is a critical condition with a high mortality rate. Over the years, endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) has evolved as a viable treatment option in addition to open repair (OR). The primary objective of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of EVAR and OR for the treatment of rAAA based on a comprehensive analysis of our single-centre 30-year experience. METHODS: Patients treated for rAAA at the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 2022 were included. Relevant information was retrieved from archived medical records. Patient survival and surgery-related complications were analysed. RESULTS: None of the patient-specific markers, emergency department-associated parameters, and co-morbidities were associated with patient survival. The 30-day and in-hospital mortality was higher in the OR group vs. in the EVAR group (50% vs. 8.7% and 57.1% vs. 13%, respectively). OR was associated with more frequent occurrence of more severe complications when compared to EVAR. Overall patient survival was 56 ± 5% at 12 months post-surgery (52 ± 6% for OR vs. 73 ± 11% for EVAR, respectively) (p < 0.05). Patients ≥70 years of age showed poorer survival in the OR group, with a 12-month survival of 42 ± 7% vs. 70 ± 10% for patients <70 years of age (p < 0.05). In the EVAR group, this age-related survival advantage was not found (12-month survival: ≥70 years: 67 ± 14%, <70 years: 86 ± 13%). Gender-specific survival was similar regardless of the applied method of care. CONCLUSION: OR was associated with more severe complications in our study. EVAR initially outperformed OR for rAAA regarding patient survival while re-interventions following EVAR negatively affect survival in the long-term. Elderly patients should be treated with EVAR. Gender does not seem to have a significant impact on survival.

A protocol-based treatment for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm contributed to improving aorta-related mortality: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines state that improving the survival rate of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) requires a protocol or algorithm for the emergency management of these patients. We aimed to investigate whether introducing a protocol treatment for rAAA improves clinical outcomes compared with the pre-protocol strategy. METHODS: At our institution, 92 patients treated for rAAA between June 2008 and August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. In 2014, the protocol-based treatment was introduced comprising a transfer algorithm to shorten the time to proximal control, use of an endovascular occlusion balloon, strict indications for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) or open surgical repair, and perioperative care, including for abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). Clinical outcomes were compared between the protocol and pre-protocol group, including operative status, all-cause mortality, and rAAA-related death at 30-day, in-hospital, and 1-year postoperative follow-ups. RESULTS: Overall, 52 and 40 patients received the protocol-based and pre-protocol treatments, respectively. EVAR was more frequently performed in the protocol group. The rate of achieving time to proximal control was significantly faster, and the transfusion volume was lower in the protocol group. ACS occurred more frequently in the protocol group with a higher EVAR. No difference was found in all-cause mortality between the two groups. The protocol group exhibited fewer rAAA-related deaths than the pre-protocol group during the following time points: 30 days (9.6% vs. 22.5%), during the hospital stay (11.5% vs. 30.0%), and 1 year (14.5% vs. 31.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The protocol-based treatment improved the survival rate of patients with rAAA.