Early abdominal aortic endografts: a decade follow-up results.
OBJECTIVE
To report the results of long-term follow-up of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) treated with endografts more than a decade ago.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of estimated long-term follow-up, mortality and morbidity in terms of complications and re-interventions, using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.


METHODS
Between March 1997 and January 2000, 61 patients with AAA (53 asymptomatic, four symptomatic and three ruptured) were treated with aortic endografts. All preoperative, operative and follow-up data were recorded according to the EUROpean collaborators on Stent graft Techniques for abdominal aortic Aneurysm (EUROSTAR) criteria.


RESULTS
The primary technical success rate was 98.4%. The majority of used devices were Vanguard (65.0%), and in a bifurcated configuration (86.7%). At 10-year follow-up, the estimated cumulative follow-up rate was 82.0%; complications occurred in 74.6% of the patients and re-interventions were required in 56.9%. The Vanguard endograft was related to a higher incidence of re-interventions (P=0.012). The combined in-hospital or AAA-related mortality rate was 5.0% at 30 days and 8.2% at a 10-year follow-up (1.8% and 5.0% in elective cases, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Early abdominal endografts are associated with high incidence of complications (74.6%) and re-interventions (56.9%) at a 10-year follow-up; however, the mortality rate related to the procedure or aneurysm is low (5.0% in elective cases). Early endografts need lifelong strict surveillance.
Mestres
G
G
Vascular Surgery Division, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Thorax Institute, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. gasparmestres@gmail.com
Zarka
Z A
ZA
García-Madrid
C
C
Riambau
V
V
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome