Infected Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treated by In Situ Replacement with Cryopreserved Arterial Homograft

Infected abdominal aortic aneurysms are uncommon but not rare (1–3% of all abdominal aortic aneurysms). This life-threatening disease can lead to rapid uncontrolled sepsis and/or aortic rupture. We report one case that underlines two notions. Firstly computed tomography is effective to detect early stages of the pathology providing complete depiction of the anatomical abnormalities. Secondly infected aortic aneurysm can be successfully treated by antibio-therapy and in situ replacement with cryopreserved arterial homograft.     

Complex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Vascular surgery is a challenging discipline and complex aneurysms can present an entire range of technical difficulties. To overcome these problems good technical skills are mandatory. However, it is also worth remembering a few basic rules:

? The simplest solution is often the best.

? All cases need careful planning, including that of the approach

? A successful anastomosis requires good aortic tissue

? Minimal dissection reduces morbidity.     

Percutaneous Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

In this prospective, nonrandomized study, we compared outcome with percutaneous femoral artery closure to that with open femoral arteriotomy in 95 patients who underwent endovascular AAA repair. Devices were introduced using 22 Fr and/or 16 Fr sheaths. The 8 Fr/10 Fr Perclose devices (Perclose Inc., Redwood City, CA) were used in an off-label "preclose technique." Thirty-three patients had bilateral open femoral arteriotomies, 44 patients had bilateral attempted percutaneous closure, and 18 patients had open femoral arteriotomy on one side and attempted percutaneous closure on the other side. Percutaneous closure was successful in 85% (47/55) of 16 Fr sheaths and 64% (29/45) of 22 Fr sheaths (p <0.027). BILATERAL PERCUTANEOUS CLOSURE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN 63% (28/44) OF PATIENTS. CONVERSION TO OPEN FEMORAL ARTERIOTOMY DUE TO BLEEDING OCCURRED IN 24 OF 106 PERCUTANEOUS ATTEMPTS. THERE WERE NO DISSECTIONS, ARTERIAL THROMBOSES, OR PSEUDOANEURYSMS ASSOCIATED WITH PERCUTANEOUS ARTERIAL CLOSURE. WOUND COMPLICATIONS WERE SEEN IN 3.6% (3/84) OF OPEN ARTERIOTOMIES AND 0.9% (1/106) OF ALL PERCUTANEOUS ATTEMPTS AND ARTERIAL CLOSURES (P > 0.05). Gender, previous femoral access, obesity, and iliac occlusive disease were not predictive of percutaneous failure. Procedural success for percutaneous AAA repair is affected by sheath size. Devices delivered through 16 Fr or smaller sheaths will have successful femoral artery closure rates of at least 85%.     

Systemic Inflammation and Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Background Inflammation is integral to the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This study examines preoperative biomarkers of systemic inflammation in patients undergoing open repair of intact and ruptured AAA. Methods One-hundred twelve patients were entered into a prospective observational study. Preoperative POSSUM physiology score, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood count (WBC), platelet count, fibrinogen, and albumin were recorded and related to clinical variables using univariate analysis. Results Sixty-one patients with a ruptured AAA, 39 with an asymptomatic intact AAA, and 12 with an acutely symptomatic intact AAA underwent attempted repair. There were two inflammatory asymptomatic aneurysms and one inflammatory ruptured aneurysm. No patient had clinical evidence of coexistent inflammatory disease. Patients with a symptomatic intact AAA had a significantly greater level of CRP and fibrinogen, higher WBC, and lower serum albumin, than those with an asymptomatic intact AAA. Patients with a ruptured aneurysm had a significantly greater level of CRP, higher WBC, and lower serum albumin than those with an asymptomatic intact aneurysm. Patients with a symptomatic intact AAA had a significantly higher CRP level, but lower WBC, than those with a ruptured AAA. There was no difference in CRP level, WBC, or serum albumin between survivors and non-survivors of attempted repair of asymptomatic, symptomatic and ruptured AAA. Conclusions Acutely symptomatic and ruptured AAAs are associated with an early elevation in systemic inflammatory biomarkers. This early activation of the inflammatory response might influence perioperative outcome. Presented to the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain & Ireland Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, 2006, and published in abstract form in Br J Surg 2006; 93 (S1):126–127.     

腔内修复术治疗破裂型腹主动脉瘤的效果评价

目的分析破裂型腹主动脉瘤(ruptured abdominal aneurysm,r AAA)行腔内修复术(endovascular aortic aneurysm repair,EVAR)与开放手术早期结果,评价EVAR治疗的效果。方法回顾性收集我院2004年1月~2014年1月收治的48例r AAA患者临床资料,根据其手术与否、手术方式的不同分为术前死亡组(n=20)、EVAR组(n=14)和开放手术组(n=14),三组性别、年龄等一般资料比较无统计学差异(P0.05),EVAR组和开放手术组在瘤体直径、收缩压、舒张压方面比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结果 EVAR组入院至检查时间为(1.2±0.8)h,与开放手术组(7.5±7.1)h比较差异有统计学意义(P=0.006);EVAR组检查至手术时间为(1.8±1.3)h,与开放手术组(16.8±17.7)h比较差异有统计学意义(P=0.007)。死亡组入院至死亡时间与EVAR组比较差异有统计学意义(P0.009)。EVAR组手术时间为(2.3±0.7)h,与开放手术组(5.6±2.0)h比较差异有统计学意义(P0.001);EVAR组的术中出血量为(142.9±279.3)ml,与开放手术组的(3 528.6±3 252.3)ml间差异有统计学意义(P0.001);EVAR组的输血量为(985.7±2 148.7)ml,与开放手术组的(3 100.0±2 285.1)ml间差异有统计学意义(P=0.018);EVAR组的住院时间为(7.1±2.7)d,与开放手术组的(13.7±4.9)d间差异有统计学意义(P0.001);EVAR组的总费用为(20.9±5.8)万元,与开放手术组的(10.1±11.5)万元间差异有统计学意义(P=0.005)。两组并发症率比较,差异无统计学意义(P=0.430)。结论缩短院内抢救准备时间,是r AAA成功救治的要点。EVAR应作为r AAA的一线治疗方案。     

Hospital Readmissions Following Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

In-hospital outcomes associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair are well described. However, little is known about post-discharge readmission rates, lengths of stay, associated mortality, and costs. We examined 206 consecutive patients who underwent AAA repair at two American hospitals between 1998 and 2000. Index hospitalization and 6-month readmission data were extracted from a resource and cost accounting system used by both hospitals. Among the 206 patients, 183 survived until discharge (mortality rate 11.2%). Among the surviving patients, 38 (21.0%) were readmitted within 6 months. Half of the readmissions occurred within two weeks of discharge, with patients presenting with a diverse array of complications. Nonelective repair and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of hospital readmission (OR=2.83, 95% CI=1.25-6.40, p=0.01; OR=6.60, 95% CI=1.02-42.4, p=0.047, respectively). For each readmission, the mean length of stay was 10.7±2.5 days and the mean cost was $13,397±3,381. The cumulative number of hospital days during the 6 months post-discharge was 17.7±3.5 days for each readmitted patient and the mean per-patient total cost was $23,262±5,478. The mortality rate among readmitted patients was 13.2%. Overall, readmissions following AAA repair accounted for a cost >50% over and above the cost of the readmitted patients index hospitalization. Hospital readmissions are common during the 6 months following AAA repair. Patients who are readmitted experience long lengths of stay and high mortality rates, and their care incurs high costs.Dr. Eisenberg is a Physician-Scientist of the Quebec Foundation for Health Research. Dr. Pilote is a Physician-Scientist of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.     

Endarterectomy of the Aneurysm Sac in Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Reduces Perigraft Seroma and Improves Graft Incorporation

Background  

Fluid around the graft in the original aneurysm sac after open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is a poorly researched phenomenon. If large, such perigraft seroma can cause symptoms of compression, and cases of rupture have even been described. We assessed whether endarterectomy of the aneurysm sac reduces the incidence of perigraft fluid and improves graft incorporation.     

Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Octogenarians

Objective

To determine whether advanced age was independently associated with prohibitive surgical risks or impaired long-term prognosis after ruptured aortic aneurysm repair.

Design

Post-hoc analysis of prospective cohort.

Materials

Consecutive patients undergoing ruptured aneurysm repair between January 2001 and December 2010 at a tertiary referral centre.

Methods

Surgical mortality (i.e., <30 days) was compared between octogenarians and younger patients using logistic regression modelling to adjust for suspected confounders and to identify prognostic factors. Long-term survival was compared with matched national populations.

Results

Sixty of 248 involved patients were octogenarians (24%) and almost all were offered open repair (n = 237). Surgical mortality of octogenarians was 26.7% (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.9–5.2) and confounded by cardiac disease. Hypovolaemic shock predicted perioperative death of octogenarians best (OR 5.1; 95%CI, 1.1–23.4; P = 0.037). After successful repair, annual mortality of octogenarians averaged 13.7% vs. 5.2% for younger patients. At 2 years, octogenarian survival was at 94% of the expected ‘normal’ survival in the general population (vs. 96% for younger patients).

Conclusions

Surgical mortality of ruptured aneurysm repair was not independently related to advanced age but mainly driven by cardiac disease and manifest hypovolaemic shock. An almost normal long-term prognosis of aged patients after successful repair justifies even attempts of open repair, particularly in carefully selected patients.     

Surgeon Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Volume and Outcomes of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: A 12-year Nationwide Study

Background

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of surgeon elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair volume on outcomes after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair.

Methods

A nationwide claims database was used to identify patients who underwent rAAA repair from 1998 to 2009. Surgeon elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EAR) volume was classified as low, medium, or high. Associations between surgeon EAR volume and in-hospital mortality, overall survival, and complications after open rAAA repair (RAR) were compared with multivariate analysis. Associations between surgeon elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EER) volume and outcomes after endovascular rAAA repair (RER) were also analyzed.

Results

A total of 537 patients who underwent rAAA repair were identified, including 498 who underwent RAR and 39 who underwent RER. In-hospital mortality rates after RAR were 49, 38, and 24 % in the low, medium, and high EAR volume groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients in the low surgeon EAR volume group had higher in-hospital mortality than those in the high surgeon EAR volume group [odds ratio 3.39, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.52, 7.59; p = 0.003]. Patients in the low surgeon EAR volume group also had higher long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.86, 95 % CI 1.21, 2.85; p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in complication rates among the surgeon EAR volume groups or in-hospital mortality after RER among the surgeon EER volume groups.

Conclusions

Surgeon EAR volume is associated with in-hospital mortality and long-term survival after RAR.