Female patients undergoing TEVAR may have an increased risk of postoperative spinal cord ischemia.
BACKGROUND
There is a paucity of literature regarding thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) in women. We report our institutional experience with TEVAR.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review was performed from 2004 to 2008. TEVAR was performed in 59 patients; 29 (49%) were female.


RESULTS
Mean age was 73.5 years. Mean thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) diameter was larger for women (5.9 cm vs 4.7 cm). A trend toward an increase in paraplegia was noted in women, 10.3% vs 4.8%. This may be related to increase in length of aortic coverage in women, 18.2 cm vs 15.2 cm (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
TEVAR in women is safe and effective. The length of aortic coverage is greater in women, which may be related to larger aneurysms and more diffuse disease. This may be associated with a concerning increase in postoperative paraplegia. Women undergoing TEVAR should be considered for prophylactic maneuvers to prevent spinal cord ischemia (SCI), including minimizing length of coverage.
Department of Vascular Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Tejas R
TR
Shah
Thomas
T
Maldonado
Stephen
S
Bauer
Neal S
NS
Cayne
Charles F
CF
Schwartz
Firas
F
Mussa
Mark A
MA
Adelman
Caron
C
Rockman
D000368:Aged; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016387:Women's Health