Screening for clinically unsuspected abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with peripheral vascular disease

In patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms, most fatalities occur from rupture before the patient can be brought to hospital. Even when seen in hospital the mortality is still approximately 50% in contrast to elective repair which has a substantially reduced mortality of less than 5%. In order to reduce the number of patients dying from rupture, they must be diagnosed early to allow elective intervention, hence there has been considerable renewed interest in screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms. We have studied a consecutive series of 104 patients with either claudication or ischaemic rest pain in the lower limbs to determine the incidence of aortic aneurysms in this type of patient.     

The true incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

The number of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAA) was documented over an 8-year-period in a known population age group. Patient figures were collected from the operative and post-mortem registers in the Worthing Health District. The overall mean incidence of RAAA was 13.9/100,000 patient years, although the incidence was noted to increase from 9.2 to 17.5/100,000 patient years during this period. The incidence in the male population rose from 4.7/100,000 for those in the fifth decade to 184.8/100,000 for those above 80. For patients undergoing operation, the peri-operative survival was 38%, however the overall survival was 11% as 64% of patients died at home. These figures demonstrate an increasing incidence of ruptured AAA. They also add support to the need for screening of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms and elective repair if the incidence and hence mortality is to be reduced.     

Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the over eighties

Between January 1980 and September 1988, 34 octogenarians underwent aortic aneurysm repair. There were 26 men and eight women with a median age of 83 years (range 80-88 years). Twenty underwent 'emergency' repair after presenting with pain and/or collapse: 11 with a retroperitoneal rupture, three with an intraperitoneal rupture and six with an expanding aneurysm. The mortality rate for this group was 35 per cent. During the same period 14 patients had an elective repair and there were no deaths within 30 days. The mean hospital stay for the elective group was 14.2 days compared with 17.0 days for survivors in the emergency group. There was no significant difference in terms of risk factors between those who developed postoperative complications and those who did not. These mortality rates compare favourably with our overall mortality results for elective (4.6 per cent) and emergency (31 per cent) surgery. Those patients over 80 years of age with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms should not be refused surgery on the basis of age alone; each patient should be judged individually.     

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: factors influencing operative mortality

Of fifty-eight consecutive patients surgically treated for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, twenty were emergency cases following the rupture. Associated diseases were found in 85 per cent of patients; hypertension being the most common. Fifty per cent of patients were in shock on admission. The duration between rupture and operation was three hrs to two weeks with the average of 115.5 hrs. In six patients, the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm was known for over six months. The operative mortality rate in case of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm was 45 per cent. The most important determinants of survival were the incidence of shock on admission, the incidence of associated disease, the known duration of the aneurysm, and the time interval from rupture to admission. The intraoperative factors most influencing survival were the type of rupture, intraoperative hypotension, and total blood loss. Comparison of the mortality rate in elective surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysms (5.3 per cent) with that in ruptured aneurysms (45.0 per cent) suggests the necessity for early elective operations whenever abdominal aortic aneurysms are diagnosed.     

Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture rates: A 7-year follow-up of the entire abdominal aortic aneurysm population detected by screening

Purpose: The goal of the current study was to identify the risk of rupture in the entire abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) population detected through screening and to review strategies for surgical intervention in light of this information. Methods: Two hundred eighteen AAAs were detected through ultrasound screening of a family practice population of 5394 men and women aged 65 to 80 years. Subjects with an AAA of less than 6.0 cm in diameter were followed prospectively with the use of ultrasound, according to our protocol, for 7 years. Patients were offered surgery if symptomatic, if the aneurysm expanded more than 1.0 cm per year, or if aortic diameter reached 6.0 cm. Results: The maximum potential rupture rate (actual rupture rate plus elective surgery rate) for small AAAs (3.0 to 4.4 cm) was 2.1% per year, which is less than most reported operative mortality rates. The equivalent rate for aneurysms of 4.5 to 5.9 cm was 10.2% per year. The actual rupture rate for aneurysms up to 5.9 cm using our criteria for surgery was 0.8% per year Conclusion: In centers with an operative mortality rate of greater than 2%, (1) surgical intervention is not indicated for asymptomatic AAAs of less than 4.5 cm in diameter, and (2) elective surgery should be considered only for patients with aneurysms between 4.5 and 6 cm in diameter that are expanding by more than 1 cm per year or for patients in whom symptoms develop. In centers with elective mortality rates of greater than 10% for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, the benefit to the patient of any surgical intervention for an asymptomatic AAA of less than 6.0 cm in diameter is questionable. (J Vasc Surg 1998;28:124-8.)     

Management of ruptured or symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms

During the past 15 years, the operative mortality for elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms has declined; this favorable trend has very likely resulted from simplified operative technique and improved perioperative management. Unfortunately, however, there has been no comparable decline in the mortality associated with repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms. The management of these patients remains a challenge to even the most skilled and experienced vascular surgeon.     

Aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. Review of 260 cases

In a 1980 review of the natural history and treatment of 176 thoracic aortic aneurysms, we noted the high incidence of rupture (47% overall) in 135 patients not treated surgically. Since that original study we have added another 84 patients to our series and have noted a complete change in management such that most patients are now treated surgically. We now have 260 patients in our series, 126 of whom were treated surgically. Sixty-seven were emergency operations and 59 were elective. Surgical mortality was 8% for elective resection and 33% for emergency operation. Over the past 5 years these figures have improved to 5% surgical mortality for elective resection and 16% surgical mortality for emergency resection. The 5 year survival rates for the entire series were 50% for patients treated with elective operation, 30% for combined emergency and elective operation groups, and 21% for nonsurgically treated patients. Abdominal aortic aneurysm was present in 74 patients (28%) and 23 of these patients had undergone a prior resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This series documents the improved survival of patients with aneurysms of the thoracic aorta who are treated with prompt surgical intervention. It also further substantiates earlier findings of a high incidence of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta in this patient population.     

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: Factors influencing operative mortality

Of fifty-eight consecutive patients surgically treated for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, twenty were emergency cases following the rupture. Associated diseases were found in 85 per cent of patients; hypertension being the most common. Fifty per cent of patients were in shock on admission. The duration between rupture and operation was three hrs to two weeks with the average of 115.5 hrs. In six patients, the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm was known for over six months. The operative mortality rate in case of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm was 45 per cent. The most important determinants of survival were the incidence of shock on admission, the incidence of associated disease, the known duration of the aneurysm, and the time interval from rupture to admission. The intraoperative factors most influencing survival were the type of rupture, intraoperative hypotension, and total blood loss. Comparison of the mortality rate in elective surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysms (5.3 per cent) with that in ruptured aneurysms (45.0 per cent) suggests the necessity for early elective operations whenever abdominal aortic aneurysms are diagnosed. Presented at the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Cardiovascular Surgery, Kanazawa, Japan, May 17–18, 1985.     

The improving long-term outlook for patients over 70 years of age with abdominal aortic aneurysms.

During the past decade, selective criteria for elective surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms have been refined based on natural history and aneurysm expansion information. Using these criteria, contemporary preoperative preparation and newer intraoperative technical adjuncts, 123 consecutive patients underwent elective resection with 1 death (mortality rate: 0.8%). These include all patients operated on with both elective and urgent aneurysms at this institution since 1978, with the exception of those with frank rupture. Most importantly, however, the 5-year life-table survival of all of these patients (average age: 71.3 years, range 46-96 yr) was 72%, including both hospital and late mortality rates. More than half of the patients were over 70 years old (78 cases), with no hospital deaths and a 5-year life-table survival probability of 67%. For those under 70 years of age at the time of operation, the 5-year life-table probability of survival was 79%. We believe that these accomplishments were a direct result of an aggressive policy of screening for and selectively treating coronary disease and carotid stenosis preoperatively and the utilization of such intraoperative adjuncts as routine Swan-Ganz monitoring, autologous blood transfusion, the cell saver, and the frequent use of the tube grafting (50%). Thus, with proper selection, the outlook for the patient over 70 years old with an elective abdominal aortic aneurysm resection now approaches that of the normal population (67% vs. 69%).     

香港地区动脉瘤的治疗现状

目的 阐述香港动脉扩张性疾病的流行病学模式及主动脉瘤传统手术与腔内治疗术的发展现状。方法 分析香港医院管理局1999－2000年主动脉瘤统计数值,香港血管外科工作小组在公立医院主动脉瘤调查报告及香港大学外科学系血管外科833例患者经验。结果 主动脉瘤是香港地区目前第10大致命疾病,每年大概发现800例新病例,而主动脉瘤破裂率为10％,破裂病死率为80％。目前一半手术适应证为主动脉瘤破裂,有大比例患者未获手术治疗。在有经验的血管外科中心腹主动脉瘤择期手术病死率已下降至2％,而破裂手术病死率也降低为38％。结论 香港地区主动脉瘤发病率与世界发病率同步增加。近年腔内治疗术迅速发展,有一定的成效,但患者选择与随访至为重要。     

Influence of presentation on outcome in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

OBJECTIVES: In the absence of formal screening abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are detected in an opportunistic manner. Many remain asymptomatic and undetected until they rupture. Incidentally discovered small AAAs are entered into a surveillance programme until they reach a suitable size for repair. The aim of this study was to examine trends in the management of AAA and whether the method of presentation had an effect on subsequent mortality. DESIGN: Observational study in UK district general hospital. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study reports a single surgeon case series identified using a prospectively maintained database. Data on mode of presentation, management and mortality were retrieved from case notes, PIMS hospital database and the Office of National Statistics. RESULTS: Two hundred and five patients were referred with AAAs between 1992 and 2004, 78% presenting in elective circumstances. The surveillance programme fed 33% of the operated cases. Two aneurysms ruptured whilst under surveillance. Overall elective operative mortality was 11.8% and has progressively decreased over time. Thirty-day operated mortality was significantly lower in patients having a period of surveillance than those having immediate elective repair (2.3 vs. 16.3%, p=0.018). A slight reduction in emergency AAA repairs was noted over the study period (r2=0.6) although registered aneurysm deaths continue to increase (r2=0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Elective mortality following AAA surgery decreased over the study period. Outcome was better in those patients who had surgery for aneurysms that had been under surveillance. Despite opportunistic screening the population adjusted mortality rate of aortic aneurysms showed a progressive increase. A reduction in deaths from aneurysms is unlikely without a formal screening programme.     

Clamp before you cut: Proximal control of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms using endovascular balloon occlusion--Case reports

While the mortality rate for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has declined over the last several decades, the rate for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) has unfortunately remained disturbingly high. Undiagnosed aneurysms may present with little warning until abdominal pain, syncope, and hypotension signify rupture. Fifty percent of patients with ruptured aneurysms die before reaching a medical facility, and their survival is highly dependent on hemodynamic stability at presentation. The degree of rupture containment and comorbid status of the patient determine hemodynamic stability. Endovascular stent grafting has significantly improved perioperative morbidity and mortality rates for elective AAA repair, and some of the same endovascular techniques can be used to obtain proximal control in patients presenting with RAAA. We describe 3 consecutive cases of RAAA where proximal control was obtained using a percutaneously placed, transfemoral aortic occlusion balloon before induction of anesthesia.     

Is the Incidence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Declining in the 21st Century? Mortality and Hospital Admissions for England & Wales and Scotland

BackgroundBetween 1951 and 1995 there was a steady increase in age-standardised deaths from all aortic aneurysms in men, from 2 to 56 per 100,000 population in England &; Wales, supporting an increase in incidence. More recently, evidence from Sweden and elsewhere suggests that now the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) may be declining.MethodsNational statistics for hospital admissions and deaths from AAA, after population age-standardisation, were used to investigate current trends in England &; Wales and Scotland.ResultsBetween 1997 and 2009 there has been a reduction in age-adjusted mortality from AAA from 40.4 to 25.7 per 100,000 population for England &; Wales and from 30.1 to 20.8 per 100,000 population in Scotland. The decrease in mortality was more marked for men than women. Mortality decreased more than 2-fold in those <75 years versus 25% only in those >75 years. During this same time period the elective hospital admissions for AAA repair have only increased in the population >75 years.ConclusionsThese data suggest that the age at which clinically-relevant aneurysms present has increased by 5–10 years and that incidence of clinically-relevant AAA in men in England &; Wales and Scotland is declining rapidly. The reasons for this are unclear.     

Proximal abdominal aortic aneurysms after infrarenal aortic reconstruction

The failure of infrarenal aortic open reconstruction due to sterile sovranastomotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (SS-AAA) is a rare and complex long-term complication. Even if they undergo the same treatment, is necessary to distinguish between true aneurysmal degeneration of proximal aorta and chronic proximal aortic anastomosis sterile rupture with consequent false aneurysm formation: we call proximal para-anastomotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (PPA-AAA) the first and proximal anastomotic false abdominal aortic aneurysm (PAF-AAA) the latter. The etiology of this complication is exclusively degenerative and it occurs in the absence of infection, which has totally different features. SS-AAA have been reported in 1 to 4% patients, but the available studies differ about patient selection and diagnostic methods. According to these considerations we can suppose the real incidence greater and near to 25% in over 10 years follow-up patients. Clinical findings of PPA and PAF-AAA before rupture are poor and this consideration emphasizes the necessity of a long term ultrasound follow-up. Best diagnostic tools after echographic detection of SS-AAA are spiral TC scan and MR imaging. Due to image accuracy, the short time necessary to take the images and availability spiral TC has taken the place of standard TC and arteriography. Scar tissue field and visceral vessels involvement with consequent proximal clamping are the main problems in open repair of SS-AAA. Elective open repair mortality rate varies from 0 to 17% and increases dramatically after rupture. Endovascular repair at the present is suitable only for hardly selected cases, because of frequent visceral involvement. We report our 17 patients series (8 PPA and 9 PAF-AAA), which we have observed friom 1991 to 2003 in a total amount of 1363 abdominal aortic aneurysms treated. All the patients have been treated with elective open repair with a global perioperative mortality of 6% (1/17).     

Emergency surgery for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms with acute presentation

PURPOSE: The mortality rate for elective repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms is as low as 4% in some surgical centers. However, patients with emergent presentation with acute pain, rupture, or complicated acute dissection traditionally have a poor outcome. We evaluated the results of surgery in a large contemporary series of patients with acute presentation at a tertiary referral center with a special interest and experience in aortic surgery. METHODS: Between 1986 and 1998, 1220 patients underwent repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. One hundred twelve patients had acute presentation, and 1108 patients underwent elective repair. Data were collected in a prospectively generated database. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients had rupture, and 36 patients had acute dissection without rupture. The operative mortality rate was 6% for elective cases and 17% for acute cases (P =.0004). The long-term survival was longer for the elective group compared with the acute group (mean, 8.3 +/- 0.4 years versus 5.5 +/- 0.7 years; P <.005). Age did not influence survival rate in the acute group. Postoperative pulmonary complications, paraplegia/paraparesis, and renal impairment occurred in 45%, 14%, and 25%, respectively, of acute cases and were significantly more common than in elective cases (P < or =.01). Left heart bypass was used in 34 acute patients (30%), and intercostal arteries were reattached in 66 acute patients (59%). Surgery without the use of either adjunct was associated with significantly higher mortality and renal impairment rates. CONCLUSION: Repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms with acute presentation is associated with worse outcome compared with elective cases. Nevertheless, repair may be performed with reasonable mortality and morbidity rates at specialized centers. In the acute setting, the use of surgical adjuncts is associated with improved outcome and should be used when possible. Age does not impact on survival rate in patients with acute presentation, and surgery should not be restricted to only younger patients.     

Epidemiology and Outcome of Aortic Aneurysms in Hong Kong

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine epidemiology and mortality statistics for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in Hong Kong. Data from three sources were obtained and analyzed: (1) Hong Kong Hospital Authority discharge statistics for 1999 and 2000; (2) a survey on aortic aneurysms in public hospitals conducted by the Working Group of Vascular Surgery; and (3) the Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Center aortic aneurysm database. The disease pattern, distribution, and operative mortality were determined. The annual incidence of AAA in Hong Kong is 13.7 per 100,000 population and 105 per 100,000 for those aged 65 and above. About 10% of the AAAs that presented were ruptured. The mean age of the AAA patients was 74 years, with 84% of them over age 65. The operative repair rate for AAAs was low, being only 8% for intact aneurysms and 54% for ruptured ones. Overall, 45% of all aneurysm repairs were performed for a ruptured AAA. There is diverse practice between major vascular centers and smaller regional hospitals. The territory-wide operative mortality rates for intact and ruptured aneurysms were 10% (range 4–24%) and 70% (range 38––100%), respectively. There was no gender bias in the rupture and operative rates. The overall mortality was 17% for intact AAAs and 78% for ruptured AAAs. The average length of hospital stay was 19 days for elective AAA surgery and 13 days for ruptured AAAs. The number of operations in high-volume centers is increasing with a concomitant decrease in operative mortality. There are no definitive data to indicate that the incidence of AAAs is rising, but a trend toward an increasing number of operations in referral centers is noted. The low repair rates for intact AAAs and the high proportion of repairs for ruptured aneurysms suggest that AAAs are undertreated in Hong Kong.     

The impact of walking impairment,cardiovascular risk factors,and comorbidity on quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication

PURPOSE: This study assessed the cardiovascular disease, perioperative results, and survival after surgical abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in young patients (< or = 50 years) compared with randomly selected older patients who also underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. METHODS: We reviewed hospital records to identify young and randomly selected control patients (3 for each young patient, > or = 65 years, matched for year of operation) with degenerative (atherosclerotic) abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing repair between Jan 1, 1988, and Mar 31, 2000. Patients with congenital aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, aortic dissections, post-coarctation dilations, aortic infection, arteritis, or aneurysms isolated to the thoracic aorta were excluded. Mortality data and cause of death were obtained from medical records and the National Death Index RESULTS: Among 1168 patients who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, 19 young patients (1.6%) and 57 control patients were identified. The mean age was 48.4 years in the young group and 72.2 years in the control group. There were no differences in sex or race between the two groups. When comparing existing cardiovascular disease between the groups, there were no differences in the incidence of earlier coronary revascularization (26% vs 16%) or non-cardiac vascular surgery (5% vs 9%), but aneurysms were more commonly symptomatic in young patients (53% vs 21%; P <.01). Aneurysmal disease was limited to the infrarenal aorta in similar proportions of patients (89% vs 88%). No statistically significant differences were seen in the incidence of perioperative deaths (16% young vs 9% control; P =.40) or postoperative complications (37% young vs 26% control; P =.38). The estimated survival rate of the young group was not different from that of the control group (3-year survival rate, 73% vs 69%; P =.32) or the entire cohort of patients (older than 50 years; n = 1101) who underwent repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms during the study period (3-year survival 73% vs 75%; P =.63) CONCLUSION: After abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, young patients had perioperative results and follow-up mortality rates similar to those of control patients. Cardiovascular disease was the predominant cause of death after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the young patients. When compared with an age older than 50 years at the time of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, young age alone was not associated with increased survival.     

Repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. A statewide experience

The results of elective treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms are excellent in many institutions. To our knowledge, however, no study has compared the results in a large geographic area in which patients were treated by a variety of surgeons and hospitals. We studied the results of repairing abdominal aortic aneurysms for all Medicare recipients during a single year in Kentucky. One hundred thirty-six operations were performed by 52 surgeons in 31 hospitals. Overall operative mortality was 18%; elective and emergency operative mortality rates were 6% and 49%, respectively. Advancing age did not affect outcome, but mortality due to ruptured aneurysms was higher in smaller hospitals than in larger hospitals. The low mortality for elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms in an elderly population by numerous surgeons in divergent hospitals is a strong indication for its liberal use compared with the high mortality and morbidity of emergency surgery.     

Anaesthesia for abdominal vascular surgery

Abdominal vascular surgery is required for aneurysmal and symptomatic occlusive disease of the aorta. Abdominal aortic aneurysms account for more than 8,500 deaths per year in England and Wales. Most deaths occur as a result of rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, which has an overall mortality of 80%. These deaths are potentially preventable because elective repair of the abdominal aorta can be performed with an operative mortality of less than 7%. This article reviews the current indications and anaesthetic practices for open and endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.     

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms. A 20-year experience

AIM: The aim of the study was to report a 20-year single Institution experience, with the early and late outcomes of surgical treatment of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms. METHODS: In a 20-year period, 2 275 consecutive patients underwent elective surgical repair for non-rupture abdominal aortic aneurysm. Fifty-two patients (2.3%) were classified as inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms. Early and late outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: One patient died in the perioperative period, giving a mortality rate of 1.92%. One patient died from a pseudoaneurysm rupture 7 months after operation. Three patients developed an aortic pseudoaneurysm in the follow-up period (mean 12.1 years, range 1-20 years) and underwent a redo operation. CONCLUSION: Overall surgical outcome of these patients, in terms of short-term and long-term is good. A high rate of pseudoaneurysm formation was observed.