Endovascular versus open surgical elective repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm: predictors of patient discharge destination.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate patient discharge destination after elective endovascular or open surgical repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and to determine predictors for discharge to home or to a rehabilitation center.


METHODS
All patients electively treated for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with endovascular repair (n = 182) or open surgery (n = 274) between January 1997 and September 1999 were included. From the hospital database, information on discharge destination, patient characteristics, complications, and length of stay was retrieved. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors for discharge to home or to a rehabilitation center.


RESULTS
Patient characteristics did not differ significantly between the treatment groups, with the exception of age (mean age, 75.1 vs 72.9 years in the endovascular and open surgical group, respectively; P =.005). Patient discharge destinations differed significantly between the treatment groups (P =.001). After endovascular procedures, 156 (85.7%) of 182 patients went home and 19 (10.4%) of 182 patients went to a rehabilitation center. After open surgery, 187 (68.2%) of 274 patients went home and 64 (23.4%) of 274 patients went to a rehabilitation center. The odds ratio of discharge to a rehabilitation center, instead of home, following endovascular procedures versus open surgery was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.43).


CONCLUSIONS
Following elective repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, significantly more patients went home after an endovascular procedure than after open surgery. Procedure type was a significant predictor of discharge destination.
Bosch
J L
JL
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Zero Emerson Pl, Suite 2H, Boston, MA 02114, USA. johanna@the-data-group.org
Beinfeld
M T
MT
Halpern
E F
EF
Lester
J S
JS
Gazelle
G S
GS
D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome