To compare general, epidural and local anaesthesia for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).
OBJECTIVE
to compare general, epidural and local anaesthesia for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).


METHODS
retrospective analysis of 91 consecutive patients (age 43 to 89 years) who underwent EVAR under local (LA, 63 patients), epidural (EDA, 8 patients) and general (GA, 20 patients) anaesthesia.


RESULTS
EVAR was successfully achieved in all patients without mortality or neurological, cardiac and respiratory complications. Vasopressive support as well as median fluid balance were significantly lessened in the LA group compared to GA group (p<0.0002). Stay in the Intensive Care Unit was necessary in 17 (27%), four (50%) and 14 (70%) patients, respectively, and median hospital stay was 3, 4.5, and 5.5 days, with a statistically significant difference between LA and GA group (p<0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
LA is a safe anaesthetic method for the endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal aneurysm, offering several advantages: simplicity, stable haemodynamics, and reduced consumption of ICU and hospital beds.
Division of Cardiovascular Anaesthesia, Institute of Anaesthesia, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, CH-8091, Switzerland.
D A
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Bettex
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Lachat
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Pfammatter
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Schmidlin
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Turina
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies