title: The impact of endograft surveillance on a vascular imaging service.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surveillance is considered mandatory after endovascular repair (EVR), but its impact on imaging services remains unreported. This study reports the effect of EVR surveillance on imaging resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-center's duplex database was interrogated from January 1, 2004 to January 1, 2012. All examinations requested by a vascular surgeon were reported, including preoperative abdominal aortic aneurysms, surveillance after EVR, lower limb arterial and venous duplex, and arteriovenous fistulae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 24 309 patients underwent duplex. The EVR surveillance increased from 192 scans in 2004 to 1325 scans in 2011, 9.5% (192 of 2030) and 34.4% (1325 of 3850) of each year's examinations. By 2011, EVR surveillance was the most common indication for duplex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lifelong EVR surveillance creates a rapidly increasing workload for imaging services. Further research should aim to reduce the burden of EVR surveillance. Targeting surveillance to the minority of patients at greatest risk of endograft failure might optimize the usage of imaging resources.
authors: Department of Outcomes Research, St George's Vascular Institute, London, United Kingdom. alankarthi@gmail.com
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Karthikesalingam
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Young
authors: Sophie A
authors: SA
authors: Powell
authors: Golnaz
authors: G
authors: Morshedian
authors: Veni
authors: V
authors: Ramachandran
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: D'Abate
authors: Matthew M
authors: MM
authors: Thompson
authors: Peter J E
authors: PJ
authors: Holt
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061847:Hospitals, High-Volume / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013222:State Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D016526:Workload