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Aging of the worldwide population has been observed, and postoperative outcomes could be worse in elderly patients. This nationwide study assessed trends in number of surgical resections in octogenarians regarding various major surgical procedures and associated postoperative outcomes.All patients who underwent surgery between 2014 and 2018 were included from Dutch nationwide quality registries regarding esophageal, stomach, pancreas, colorectal liver metastases, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). For each quality registry, the number of patients who were 80 years or older (octogenarians) was calculated per year. Postoperative outcomes were length of stay (LOS), 30 day major morbidity and 30 day mortality between octogenarians and younger patients.No increase in absolute number and proportion of octogenarians that underwent surgery was observed. Median LOS was higher in octogenarians who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, colorectal liver metastases, lung cancer, pancreatic disease and esophageal cancer. 30 day major morbidity was higher in octogenarians who underwent surgery for colon cancer, esophageal cancer and elective AAA-repair. 30 day mortality was higher in octogenarians who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic disease, esophageal cancer and elective AAA-repair. Median LOS decreased between 2014 and 2018 in octogenarians who underwent surgery for stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. 30 day major morbidity decreased between 2014 and 2018 in octogenarians who underwent surgery for colon cancer. No trends were observed in octogenarians regarding 30 day mortality between 2014 and 2018.No increase over time in absolute number and proportion of octogenarians that underwent major surgery was observed in the Netherlands. Postoperative outcomes were worse in octogenarians.

To compare the survival of patients who attended surveillance after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with those who were non-compliant.MEDLINE and Embase were searched using the Ovid interface.A systematic review was conducted complying with the PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies compared survival in EVAR surveillance compliant patients versus non-compliant patients. Non-compliance was defined as failure to attend at least one post-EVAR follow-up. The risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and the certainty of evidence using the GRADE framework. Primary outcomes were survival and aneurysm-related mortality. Effect measures were the hazard ratio (HR) or odd ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) calculated using the inverse variance or Mantel-Haenszel statistical method and random-effects models.Thirteen cohort studies with a total of 22,762 patients were included. Eight studies were deemed high risk of bias. The pooled proportion of patients who were non-compliant with EVAR surveillance was 43% (95% CI 36%-51%). No statistically significant difference was found in the hazard of all-cause mortality (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.61-1.77), aneurysm-related mortality (HR 1.80, 95% CI 0.85-3.80), or secondary intervention (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.31-1.41) between patients who had incomplete and complete follow-up after EVAR. The odds of aneurysm rupture were lower in non-compliant patients (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.39-1.01). The certainty of evidence was very low for all outcomes. Subgroup analysis for patients who had no surveillance versus those with complete surveillance showed no significant difference in all-cause mortality (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.43-2.80).Patients who were non-compliant with EVAR surveillance had similar survival to those who were compliant. The findings question the value of intense surveillance in all patients post-EVAR and highlight the need for further research on individualized or risk-adjusted surveillance.

IntroductionSeveral risk factors for adverse events after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) have been described, but there is no consensus on their comparative prognostic significance, use in risk stratification and application in determining postoperative surveillance.Methods and analysisA scoping review of the literature was conducted to identify risk factors for adverse events after EVAR. Main adverse events were considered post-EVAR abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture and reintervention. Risk factors were grouped into four domains: (1) preoperative anatomy, (2) aortic device, (3) procedure performance and (4) postoperative surveillance. The Delphi methodology will be used to steer a group of experts in the field towards consensus organised into three tiers. In tier 1, participants will be asked to independently rate risk factors for adverse events after EVAR. In tier 2, the panel will be asked to independently rate a range of combinations of risk factors across the four domains derived from tier 1. A risk-stratification tool will then be built, which will include algorithms that map responses to signalling questions onto a proposed risk judgement for each domain. Domain-level judgements will in turn provide the basis for an overall risk judgement for the individual patient. In tier 3, risk factor-informed surveillance strategies will be developed. Each tier will typically include three rounds and rating will be conducted using a 4-point Likert scale, with an option for free-text responses.Ethics and disseminationResearch Ethics Committee and Health Research Authority approval has been waived, since this is a professional staff study and no duty of care lies with the National Health Service to any of the participants. The results will be presented at regional, national and international meetings and will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The risk stratification tool and surveillance algorithms will be made publicly available for clinical use and validation.

Purpose: Octogenarians are known to have less-favorable outcomes following ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair compared with their younger counterparts. Accurate information regarding perioperative outcomes following rAAA-repair is important to evaluate current treatment practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate perioperative outcomes of octogenarians and to identify factors associated with mortality and major complications after open surgical repair (OSR) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of a rAAA using nationwide, real-world, contemporary data. Methods: All patients that underwent EVAR or OSR of an infrarenal or juxtarenal rAAA between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018, were prospectively registered in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (DSAA) and included in this study. The primary outcome was the comparison of perioperative outcomes of octogenarians versus non-octogenarians, including adjustment for confounders. Secondary outcomes were the identification of factors associated with mortality and major complications in octogenarians. Results: The study included 2879 patients, of which 1146 were treated by EVAR (382 octogenarians, 33%) and 1733 were treated by OSR (410 octogenarians, 24%). Perioperative mortality of octogenarians following EVAR was 37.2% versus 14.8% in non-octogenarians (adjusted OR=2.9, 95% CI=2.8–3.0) and 50.0% versus 29.4% following OSR (adjusted OR=2.2, 95% CI=2.2–2.3). Major complication rates of octogenarians were 55.4% versus 31.8% in non-octogenarians following EVAR (OR=2.7, 95% CI=2.1–3.4), and 68% versus 49% following OSR (OR=2.2, 95% CI=1.8–2.8). Following EVAR, 30.6% of the octogenarians had an uncomplicated perioperative course (UPC) versus 49.5% in non-octogenarians (OR=0.5, 95% CI=0.4–0.6), while following OSR, UPC rates were 20.7% in octogenarians versus 32.6% in non-octogenarians (OR=0.5, 95% CI=0.4–0.7). Cardiac or pulmonary comorbidity and loss of consciousness were associated with mortality and major complications in octogenarians. Interestingly, female octogenarians had lower mortality rates following EVAR than male octogenarians (adjusted OR=0.7, 95% CI=0.6–0.8). Conclusion: Based on this nationwide study with real-world registry data, mortality rates of octogenarians following ruptured AAA-repair were high, especially after OSR. However, a substantial proportion of these octogenarians following OSR and EVAR had an uneventful recovery. Known preoperative factors do influence perioperative outcomes and reflect current treatment practice.

We evaluate nationwide perioperative outcomes of complex EVAR and assess the volume-outcome association of complex EVAR.Endovascular treatment with fenestrated (FEVAR) or branched (BEVAR) endografts is progressively used for excluding complex aortic aneurysms (complex AAs). It is unclear if a volume-outcome association exists in endovascular treatment of complex AAs (complex EVAR).All patients prospectively registered in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit who underwent complex EVAR (FEVAR or BEVAR) between January 2016 and January 2020 were included. The effect of annual hospital volume on perioperative mortality was examined using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Patients were stratified into quartiles based on annual hospital volume to determine hospital volume categories.We included 694 patients (539 FEVAR patients, 155 BEVAR patients). Perioperative mortality following FEVAR was 4.5% and 5.2% following BEVAR. Postoperative complication rates were 30.1% and 48.7%, respectively. The first quartile hospitals performed9 procedures/yr; second, third, and fourth quartile hospitals performed 9-12, 13-22, and ≥23 procedures/yr. The highest volume hospitals treated the significantly more complex patients. Perioperative mortality of complex EVAR was 9.1% in hospitals with a volume of9, and 2.5% in hospitals with a volume of ≥13 (P = 0.008). After adjustment for confounders, an annual volume of ≥13 was associated with less perioperative mortality compared to hospitals with a volume of9.Data from this nationwide mandatory quality registry shows a significant effect of hospital volume on perioperative mortality following complex EVAR, with high volume complex EVAR centers demonstrating lower mortality rates.

Supplemental material, 19-0636_Supplementary_tables for Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair With Left Subclavian Artery Coverage Is Associated With a High 30-Day Stroke Incidence With or Without Concomitant Revascularization by Rens R. B. Varkevisser, Nicholas J. Swerdlow, Livia E. V. M. de Guerre, Kirsten Dansey, Chun Li, Patric Liang, Christopher A. Latz, Mathijs T. Carvalho Mota, Hence J. M. Verhagen and Marc L. Schermerhorn in Journal of Endovascular Therapy

The aim is to present current clinical practice of thoracic aorta screening in a tertiary referral center. We identified how often imaging techniques were used for screening and established the value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in comparison with computed tomography (CT) to detect aortic dilation. We also investigated which additional abnormalities of the heart, aorta or smaller arteries were discovered.All patients ≥15 years who visited our tertiary center in 2012-2016 for first thoracic aortic screening were retrospectively included. Diameters of the sinus of Valsalva (SoV) and maximum ascending aorta (AA) were compared between TTE and CT. The sensitivity and specificity of TTE to detect aortic dilation (≥40 mm) was assessed with CT as reference standard. Intracardiac abnormalities found with TTE and arterial abnormalities found with CT were identified.In total 349 patients (155 men, age 41 ± 15 years, 10% genetic mutation) were included. Screening was performed with TTE only in 35% and with TTE and CT in 65%. Patients who underwent TTE only were younger, had less often hypertension and less often a family history of aortic pathology. Although there was a good correlation between TTE and CT, the diameters measured with TTE were typically lower (SoV -1.0, 95%CI -6.6 to 4.7 and AA -0.4, 95%CI -6.5 to 5.8). Sensitivity of TTE for detecting aortic dilation was 61% (SoV) and 57% (AA) and specificity was 96% (SoV) and 100% (AA). Valve abnormalities, ventricular dilation or reduced ventricular function was found with TTE in 26 patients (7%). In 47 patients (13%) ascending aortic dilation was diagnosed and in 10 patients (4%) relevant peripheral arterial abnormalities were identified using CT.Most often patients received both TTE and CT (65%). Since TTE showed a low sensitivity to detect aortic dilation, CT imaging is advised at least once in patients referred for thoracic aortic screening.

Compared to open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair, hybrid repair is thought to be less invasive with better perioperative outcomes. Due to the extent of the operation and long recovery period, studying perioperative results may not be sufficient for evaluation of the true treatment effect. The aim of this study is to evaluate 1-year mortality and morbidity in patients with TAAA undergoing hybrid repair.In a retrospective cohort study, all medical records of patients undergoing hybrid repair for TAAA at the Erasmus University Medical Center between January 2007 and January 2015 were studied. Primary outcome measures were 30-day and 1-year mortality. Secondary outcome measures included major in-hospital postoperative complications.A total of 15 patients were included. All-cause mortality was 33% (5 of the 15) at 30 days and 60% (9 of the 15) at 1 year. Aneurysm-related mortality was 33% (5 of the 15) and 53% (8 of the 15) at 30-day and 1-year follow-up, respectively, with colon ischemia being the most common cause of death. Major complication rate was high: myocardial infarction in 2 (13%) cases, acute kidney failure in 5 (33%) cases, bowel ischemia in 3 (20%) cases, and spinal cord ischemia in 1 (7%) case.The presumed less invasive nature of hybrid TAAA repair does not seem to result in lower complication rates. The high mortality rate at 30 days continues to rise dramatically thereafter, suggesting that 1-year mortality is a more useful clinical parameter to use in preoperative decision-making for this kind of repair.

Objective: Evidence regarding the influence of cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and patient characteristics on the growth of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is limited. We assessed, in an observational cohort study, rupture rates, risks of mortality, and the effects of cardiovascular risk factors and patient demographics on growth rates of small AAAs. Methods: Between September 1996 and January 2005, 5057 patients with manifest arterial vascular disease or cardiovascular risk factors were included in the Second Manifestation of ARTerial disease (SMART) study. Measurements of the abdominal aortic diameter were performed in all patients. All patients with an initial AAA diameter between 30 and 55 mm were selected for this study. All AAA measurements during follow-up until August 2007 were collected. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to calculate the effects of demographic patient characteristics, initial AAA diameter, and cardiovascular risk factors on AAA growth. Results: Included were 230 patients, with a mean age of 66 years and 90% were male. Seven AAA ruptures (six fatal) occurred in 755 patient years of follow-up (rupture rate 0.9% per patient-year). In 147 patients, AAA measurements were performed for a period of more than 6 months. The median follow-up time was 3.3 years (mean 4.0, range 0.5 to 11.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 2.5). Mean AAA diameter was 38.8 mm (SD 6.8) and mean expansion rate 2.5 mm/y. Patients using lipid-lowering drugs had a 1.2 mm/y (95% confidence interval [CI] -2.34 to -0.060 mm/y) lower AAA growth rate compared to nonusers of these drugs. Initial AAA diameter was associated with a 0.09 mm/y (95% CI 0.01 to 0.18 mm/y) higher growth rate per millimetre increase of the diameter. No other factors, including blood lipid values, were independently associated with AAA growth. Conclusions: Lipid-lowering drug treatment and initial AAA diameter appear to be independently associated with lower AAA growth rates. The risk of rupture of these small abdominal aortic aneurysms was low, which pleads for watchful waiting.

The decision whether to operate a patient or not can be challenging for a clinician for both ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) as well as elective AAAs. Prior to surgical intervention it would be preferable that the clinician exactly knows which clinical variables lower or increase the chances of morbidity and mortality postintervention. To help in the preoperative counselling and shared decision making several clinical variables can be identified as risk factors and with these, risk models can be developed. An ideal risk score for aneurysm repair includes routinely obtained physiological and anatomical variables, has excellent discrimination and calibration, and is validated in different geographical areas. For elective AAA repair, several risk scores are available, for ruptured AAA treatment, these scores are far less well developed. In this manuscript, we describe the designs and results of published risk scores for elective and open repair. Also, suggestions for uniformly reporting of risk factors and their statistical analyses are described. Furthermore, the preliminary results of a new risk model for ruptured aortic aneurysm will be discussed. This score identifies age, hemoglobin, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and preoperative systolic blood pressure as risk factors after multivariate regression analysis. This new risk score can help to identify patients that would not benefit from repair, but it can also potentially identify patients who would benefit and therefore lower turndown rates. The challenge for further research is to expand on validation of already existing promising risk scores in order to come to a risk model with optimal discrimination and calibration.

This study evaluated timing of β-blocker initiation before surgery and its relationship with: 1) pre-operative heart rate and high-sensitivity C-reactive-protein (hs-CRP) levels; and 2) post-operative outcome.Perioperative guidelines recommend β-blocker initiation days to weeks before surgery, on the basis of expert opinions.In 940 vascular surgery patients, pre-operative heart rate and hs-CRP levels were recorded, next to timing of β-blocker initiation before surgery (0 to 1,1 to 4,4 weeks). Pre- and post-operative troponin-T measurements and electrocardiograms were performed routinely. End points were 30-day cardiac events (composite of myocardial infarction and cardiac mortality) and long-term mortality. Multivariate regression analyses, adjusted for cardiac risk factors, evaluated the relation between duration of β-blocker treatment and outcome.The β-blockers were initiated 0 to 1,1 to 4, and4 weeks before surgery in 158 (17%), 393 (42%), and 389 (41%) patients, respectively. Median heart rate at baseline was 74 (±17) beats/min, 70 (±16) beats/min, and 66 (±15) beats/min (p0.001; comparing treatment initiation1 with1 week pre-operatively), and hs-CRP was 4.9 (±7.5) mg/l, 4.1 (±.6.0) mg/l, and 4.5 (±6.3) mg/l (p = 0.782), respectively. Treatment initiated1 to 4 or4 weeks before surgery was associated with a lower incidence of 30-day cardiac events (odds ratio: 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27 to 0.76, odds ratio: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.79) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.67, hazard ratio: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.71) compared with treatment initiated1 week pre-operatively.Our results indicate that β-blocker treatment initiated1 week before surgery is associated with lower pre-operative heart rate and improved outcome, compared with treatment initiated1 week pre-operatively. No reduction of median hs-CRP levels was observed in patients receiving β-blocker treatment1 week compared with patients in whom treatment was initiated between 0 and 1 week before surgery.

Four patients presented with an acute type B aortic dissection. All were managed medically. However, three of the four patients needed additional invasive treatment. A 67-year-old patient was given a spinal catheter because of neurological symptoms. A 57-year-old patient underwent endovascular fenestration of the right renal artery and stenting of the iliac arteries to treat acute ischemia. In a 71-year-old patient an endograft was placed in the distal aortic arch to close a tear in the aortic wall, and two stents were placed in the right renal artery for stenosis. Currently, medical management is the preferred treatment for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection. In complicated type B aortic dissection, endovascular grafting seems to be a useful solution with a high primary success percentage.

Coronary revascularization of the suspected culprit coronary lesion assessed by preoperative stress testing is not associated with improved outcome in vascular surgery patients.Fifty-four major vascular surgery patients underwent preoperative dobutamine echocardiography and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. The locations of left ventricular rest wall motion abnormalities and new wall motion abnormalities (NWMAs) were scored using a seven-wall model. During 30-day follow-up, postoperative cardiac troponin release, myocardial infarction, and cardiac death were noted.Rest wall motion abnormalities were noted by dobutamine echocardiography in 17 patients (31%), and transesophageal echocardiography was noted in 16 (30%). NWMAs were induced during dobutamine echocardiography in 17 patients (31%), whereas NWMAs were observed by transesophageal echocardiography in 23 (43%), kappa value = 0.65. Although preoperative and intraoperative rest wall motion abnormalities showed an excellent agreement for the location (kappa value = 0.92), the agreement for preoperative and intraoperative NWMAs in different locations was poor (kappa value = 0.26-0.44). The composite cardiac endpoint occurred in 14 patients (26%).There was a poor correlation between the locations of preoperatively assessed stress-induced NWMAs by dobutamine echocardiography and those observed intraoperatively using transesophageal echocardiography. However, the composite endpoint of outcome was met more frequently in relation with intraoperative NWMAs.

This study was conducted to validate a proposed classification system on the characteristics of the abdominal aortic aneurysm neck. The cohort comprised 100 consecutive patients who underwent open or endovascular aneurysm repair. Aneurysm neck characteristics of diameter, calcium, thrombus, and angulation were reviewed. The presence of calcium at the aortic aneurysm wall was associated with lower body mass index. Thrombus was found in 52% of the patients. Hypertension was correlated with the presence of aortic wall thrombus. At the renal artery level, angulation was anterior in 56%, right lateral in 39%, and left lateral in 27%. At the origin of the aneurysm, angulation was posterior in 76%, right lateral in 46%, and left lateral in 42%. A wide variety in these characteristics was found. A scoring system allows comparison of patient characteristics in studies describing the clinical outcome of endovascular aneurysm repair and should be included in study reports.

Hemodialysis (HD) access complications constitute a major cause of morbidity in HD patients. The failure of HD access grafts is predominantly due to progressive intimal hyperplasia (IH) at the venous anastomosis, resulting in a graft flow decline, which ultimately gives rise to graft thrombosis. To date, all tested pharmacological and surgical interventions have not resulted in increased arteriovenous (AV) graft patency rates in HD patients. In this review, we address the mechanisms contributing to AV graft failure and discuss several "emerging" strategies, which could hold promise for optimizing AV graft patency rates. In view of the failure of systemic therapies and the predictable localization of IH, local therapeutic strategies comprise the most promising interventions to improve AV graft patency rates. Based on the large number of promising candidates including drug-eluting stents and brachytherapy, the unmet clinical need for AV graft failure in HD patients is likely to be revisited in the very near future. The biggest challenge, however, remains to translate basic experimental findings into clinical benefits. Simultaneously, continuous efforts should be undertaken to increase the percentage of patients utilizing AV fistulas, which remains the best form of permanent vascular access (VA) for HD.