Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR): does it fulfil all its promises?

ABSTRACT

In the trend of the endovascular revolution for occlusive arterial disease, management of aneurysmal disease has known an analogous change in the nineties. Elective endo-aneurysmal stentgrafting (EVAR or endovascular aneurysm repair) is nowadays of widespread application in contemporary practice all over the world, sometimes by over-enthusiast proponents. There is a burden of recent publications on that topic. Critical analysis of relevant data reveal compelling evidence that elective EVAR is a safe procedure with a threefold reduced 30-day morbidity-mortality, when compared to conventional open aneurysm repair. EVAR also deemed efficace in terms of AAA rupture prevention. At the other hand, mid-term follow-up revealed that EVAR does not endure at the long-term in any late survival benefit, compared to open AAA repair. The major concern and drawback of EVAR is its higher cost and the need for indefinite, life-long surveillance, with a 20% reintervention rate (almost catheter-based endovascularly) at 5-year follow-up. In this review-paper, short-term gains of EVAR are balanced against the inherent disadvantages and long-term losses. According best available evidence, EVAR should not longer be the first choice for high-risk patients, judged unfit for open aneurysm repair. There also exist doubt on the use of EVAR in young fit patients with an anticipated long life expectancy. In approximately half of the AAA patients, EVAR can be considered as the appropriate treatment option.