title: Towards individualized follow-up protocols after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become the primary treatment option for elective abdominal aortic aneurysms. However, a significant number of patients require secondary interventions to maintain adequate aneurysm exclusion and ultimately prevent death from abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture. To maintain success and offer timely secondary intervention, intensive image surveillance has been recommended. These rigorous surveillance regimens are costly and may have deleterious effects from radiation and contrast exposure. Improvements in patient selection, operative technique and devices have caused a decline in complications after EVAR. Therefore, there is a need to reduce surveillance after EVAR for patients at lower risk of complications and install individualized follow-up protocols. This review describes the current strategies for surveillance and clarification of risk factors and predictors for late complications and discusses proposed risk-adapted strategies for postoperative surveillance after EVAR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands - barend.mees@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laturnus
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Frederico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basto Gonçalves
authors.forename: Geert W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Schurink
authors.forename: Hence
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Barend M E
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mees
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*