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Objectives: According to guidelines, the autogenous saphenous vein (ASV) is the preferred conduit for femoropopliteal bypass surgery in all patients with peripheral artery disease. However, in contrast to patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), patients with intermittent claudication (IC) only, tend to have milder disease, and thus a prosthetic graft may be as good as a vein conduit. The objective of this study was to compare patency rates of the ASV and a prosthetic graft in femoropopliteal bypass surgery in patients with IC. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing prosthetic graft versus ASV in patients with IC. Articles with a mixed IC and CLI study population were included if more than 50% of the study cohort was treated for IC. Primary analysis was performed on IC patients only. Secondary analysis was performed on the mixed group. The primary endpoint was short- and long-term patency and secondary endpoints were complications, limb salvage, and mortality. Results: In total, six studies with 524 patients were included. Only two studies reported solely on patients with IC. All these patients underwent above-the-knee bypasses and average patency rates at one and 5 years were 88% and 76% vs 81% and 68% in the ASV and the PTFE groups, respectively. One and five-year patency was not statistically different between the groups (OR 5.21; 95% CI 0.60–45.36 and OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.88–5.01). In a mixed population of patients with IC and CLI (84% IC patients), 1 year patency was comparable (OR 1.40; 95% CI 0.87–2.25). However, after a follow-up of over 3 years, this mixed group had significantly higher patency rates in favour of the ASV (OR 2.06; 95 % CI 1.30–3.26). Complication and amputation rates were comparable in both groups. Conclusions: Limited data are available for patients receiving above-the-knee femoropopliteal bypass for intermittent claudication. The ASV remains the conduit of choice for femoropopliteal bypass surgery. However, the prosthetic conduit seems a feasible alternative for patients with intermittent claudication in whom the ASV is not present or unsuitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify predictors of clinical success in invasive treatment for femoropopliteal arterial disease aiding clinical decision-making., Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 676 consecutive patients who underwent a first episode of invasive treatment for femoropopliteal disease, either endovascular therapy (EVT) or femoropopliteal bypass (FPB), between 2004 and 2015. Primary end points were primary and secondary clinical patency and amputation rate. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate clinical patency. A Cox proportional hazard model explored predictors of primary end points., Results: Most patients (58%) underwent EVT as primary intervention, while 42% underwent FPB. Median follow-up was 43 months. The only independent predictor for loss of primary clinical patency was critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) (P = .008; hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.07-1.47). Secondary clinical patency was positively associated with FPB surgery (P = .037; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.97), a higher pre-interventional ankle-brachial index (P = .029; HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.92), more distal runoff vessels (P = .036; HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60-0.98), and the absence of ischemic heart disease (P = .006; HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.16-2.47). In patients with CLTI, chronic renal failure predicted loss of primary and secondary clinical patency and increased amputation risk., Conclusions: In this cohort, CLTI was independently associated with decreased primary clinical patency in invasive treatment for femoropopliteal disease. Secondary clinical patency was positively associated with FPB, higher ankle-brachial index, more runoff vessels, and the absence of ischemic heart disease., (Copyright © 2024 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to compare patient-reported outcomes after technical success (TS) and technical failure (TF) in treating great saphenous vein incompetence (GSV) with ClariVein., Methods: A subanalysis of a previous trial was conducted on symptomatic GSV incompetence patients who received ClariVein treatment with 2% or 3% polidocanol (POL) and were followed for 6 months. Blinding was implemented for observers and patients, and data from both POL groups were combined. TS was defined as at least 85% occlusion of the treated vein, while TF indicated failure to meet TS criteria. Secondary outcomes included Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), and Short-Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36)., Results: Among the 364 patients included, the TS rate was 64.5%. Comparison of VCSS, AVVQ, and SF-36 scores between TS and TF groups did not yield significant differences., Conclusion: This study indicates no significant variation in VCSS, AVVQ, and SF-36 scores between patients experiencing TS and TF following ClariVein treatment for GSV insufficiency.

Objective: The Observing a Decade of Yearly Standardised Surveillance in EVAR patients with Ultrasound or CT Scan (ODYSSEUS) study was conducted to assess differences in outcomes of patients with continued or discontinued yearly follow up after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Earlier results of this study showed that discontinued follow up was not associated with poor outcomes. Therefore, an incremental cost analysis and budget impact analysis of de-implementation of yearly imaging following EVAR was performed., Methods: In total, 1 596 patients from the ODYSSEUS study were included. The expected cost savings were assessed if yearly imaging was reduced in patients with a post-operative computed tomography angiogram without abnormalities made around 30 days after EVAR. Costs were derived from the Dutch costs manual, benchmark cost prices, and literature review. Costs were expressed in euros (€) and displayed at 2019 prices. Sensitivity analysis was performed by varying costs., Results: A difference of 24% in cost was found between patients with continued and discontinued imaging follow up. The cost per patient was €1 935 in the continued group vs. €1 603 per patient in the discontinued group at five years post-EVAR, with a mean difference of €332 (95% bias corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence interval -741 to 114). De-implementation of yearly imaging would result in an annual nationwide cost saving of €678 471. Sensitivity analysis with variation in adherence rates, imaging, or secondary intervention costs resulted in a saving of at least €271 388 per year., Conclusion: This study provided an in depth analysis of hospital costs for post-EVAR patients in the Netherlands with a modest impact on the Dutch healthcare budget., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The purpose of the present study was to identify the ideal polidocanol (POL) concentration for mechanochemical ablation (MOCA) of the great saphenous vein (GSV) using the ClariVein system (Merit Medical, South Jordan, Utah)., Methods: We performed a multicenter, randomized, controlled, single-blind trial with a follow-up period of 6 months. Patients with symptomatic primary truncal GSV incompetence were randomized to MOCA + 2% POL liquid (2% group) or MOCA + 3% POL liquid (3% group). The primary outcome was technical success (TS), defined as an open part of the treated vein segment of ≤10 cm in length. The secondary outcomes were alternative TS, defined as ≥85% occlusion of the treated vein segment, postoperative pain, venous clinical severity scores, Aberdeen varicose vein questionnaire scores, and short-form 36-item health survey questionnaire scores, and complications., Results: From 2012 to 2018, 364 patients (375 limbs) were included, of which, 189 limbs were randomly allocated to the 2% group and 186 to the 3% group. The TS rate at 6 months was 69.8% in the 2% group vs 78.0% in the 3% group (P = .027). A higher overall TS rate was seen in GSVs of ≤5.9 mm compared with GSVs >5.9 mm (84.3% vs 59.5%, respectively; P < .001). The alternative TS rate at 6 months was 61.4% in the 2% group and 67.7% in the 3% group (P = .028). The venous clinical severity scores, Aberdeen varicose vein questionnaire scores, and most short-form 36-item health survey questionnaire domains had improved in both groups (P < .002). Postprocedural pain was low. Two pulmonary embolisms and two deep vein thromboses were seen. Superficial venous thrombosis had occurred more often in the 3% group (18 vs 8 in the 2% group; P = .033)., Conclusions: The results from the present study showed a higher success rate for MOCA with 3% POL liquid than for MOCA with 2% POL liquid at 6 months of follow-up. However, the difference in quality of life was not significant. Long-term follow-up studies are required to investigate whether these results will be sustained in the future., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Little is known about the impact of standardized imaging surveillance on anxiety levels and well-being of patients after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). We hypothesize that patient anxiety levels increase just before receiving the imaging results compared with standard anxiety levels., Methods: Prospective cohort study from November 2018 to May 2020 including post-EVAR patients visiting the outpatient clinics of 4 Dutch hospitals for imaging follow-up. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was used. Patients completed the PROMIS Anxiety v1.0 Short Form (SF) 4a, PROMIS-Global Health Scale v1.2, and PROMIS-Physical Function v1.2 SF8b at 2 time points: prior to the result of the imaging study (T1: pre-visit) and 6-8 months later (T2: reference measurement). Mean T-scores at T1 were compared to T2, and T2 to the general 65+ Dutch population., Results: Altogether 342 invited patients were eligible, 214 completed the first questionnaire, 189 returned 2 completed questionnaires and 128 patients did not participate. Out of 214 respondents, 195 were male (91.1%) and the mean (standard deviation) age was 75.2 (7.0) years. There were no significant differences between T1 and T2 in anxiety levels (0.48; 95% confidence interval[CI] -0.42-1.38), global mental health (0.27; 95% CI -0.79-0.84), global physical health (0.10; 95% CI -0.38-1.18) and physical function (0.53; 95% CI -0.26-1.32). Compared with the 65+ Dutch population, at T2 patients experienced more anxiety (3.8; 95% CI 2.96-5.54), had worse global physical health (-3.2; 95% CI -4.38 - -2.02) and physical function (-2.4; 95% CI -4.00 - -0.80). Global mental health was similar (-1.0; 95% CI -2.21 - 0.21)., Conclusions: Post-EVAR patients do not experience more anxiety just before receiving surveillance imaging results than outside this period, but do suffer from more anxiety and worse physical outcomes than the 65+ Dutch population., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Previous studies have focused on patient-related risk factors to explain the higher mortality risk in women undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether hospital-related factors influence outcomes following AAA repair in women., Methods: Patients undergoing elective AAA repair in 61 hospitals in the Netherlands were identified from the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit registry (2013-2018). A mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effect of sex on in-hospital and/or 30-day mortality. This analysis accounted for possible correlation of outcomes among patients who were treated in the same hospital, by adding a hospital-specific random effect to the statistical model. The analysis adjusted for patient-related risk factors and hospital volume of open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR)., Results: Some 12 034 patients were included in the analysis. The mortality rate was higher in women than among men: 53 of 1780 (3.0 per cent) versus 152 of 10 254 (1.5 per cent) respectively. Female sex was significantly associated with mortality after correction for patient- and hospital-related factors (odds ratio 1.68, 95 per cent c.i. 1.20 to 2.37). OSR volume was associated with lower mortality (OR 0.91 (0.85 to 0.95) per 10-procedure increase) whereas no such relationship was identified with EVAR volume (OR 1.03 (1.01 to 1.05) per 10-procedure increase)., Conclusion: Women are at higher risk of death after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair irrespective of patient- and hospital-related factors., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

Objective: Lifelong imaging surveillance is recommended following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This study aimed to examine the association between adherence to post-operative surveillance and survival and secondary interventions in patients with an initial post-operative computed tomography angiogram (CTA) without abnormalities., Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing EVAR for intact abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in 16 hospitals between 2007 and 2012 were identified retrospectively, with follow up until December 2018. Patients were included if the initial post-operative CTA showed no types I - III endoleak, kinking, infection, or limb occlusion. Discontinued follow up was defined as at least one 16 month period in which no imaging surveillance was performed. Primary outcomes were aneurysm related mortality and secondary interventions, and secondary outcome all cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate survival, and Cox regression analyses to identify the association between independent variables and outcome. Sensitivity analyses were performed by varying the definition of continued yearly follow up. The study protocol was published (bmjopen-2019-033584)., Results: 1 596 patients (552 continued, 1 044 discontinued follow up) were included with a median (interquartile range) follow up of 89.1 months (52.6). Cumulative aneurysm related, overall, and intervention free survival was 99.4/94.8/96.1%, 98.5/72.9/85.9%, and 96.3/45.4/71.1% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (ASA IV hazard ratio [HR] 3.810, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.296 - 11.198), increase in AAA diameter (HR 3.299, 95% CI 1.408 - 7.729), and continued follow up (HR 3.611, 95% CI 1.780 - 7.323) were independently associated with aneurysm related mortality. The same variables and age (HR 1.063 per year, 95% CI 1.052 - 1.074) were significantly associated with all cause mortality. No difference in secondary interventions was observed between patients with continued vs. discontinued follow up (89/552; 16% vs. 136/1044; 13%; p = .091). Sensitivity analyses showed worse aneurysm related and overall survival in patients with continued follow up., Conclusion: Discontinued follow up is not associated with poor outcomes. Future prospective studies are indicated to determine in which patients imaging follow up can be safely reduced., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (JRAAAs) can be treated either with open surgical repair (OSR) including suprarenal clamping or by complex endovascular aneurysm repair (cEVAR). In this study, we present the comparison between the short-term mortality and complications of the elective JRAAA treatment modalities from a national database reflecting daily practice in The Netherlands., Methods: All patients undergoing elective JRAAA open repair or cEVAR (fenestrated EVAR or chimney EVAR) between January 2016 and December 2018 registered in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (DSAA) were eligible for inclusion. Descriptive perioperative variables and outcomes were compared between patients treated with open surgery or endovascularly. Adjusted odds ratios for short-term outcomes were calculated by logistic regression analysis., Results: In all, 455 primary treated patients with JRAAAs could be included (258 OSR, 197 cEVAR). Younger patients and female patients were treated more often with OSR vs cEVAR (72 ± 6.1 vs 76 ± 6.0; P < .001 and 22% vs 15%; P = .047, respectively). Patients treated with OSR had significantly more major and minor complications as well as a higher chance of early mortality (OSR vs cEVAR, 45% vs 21%; P < .001; 34% vs 23%; P = .011; and 6.6% vs 2.5%; P = .046, respectively). After logistic regression with adjustment for confounders, patients who were treated with OSR showed an odds ratio of 3.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.25-5.89; P < .001) for major complications compared with patients treated with cEVAR, and for minor complications, the odds ratios were 2.17 (95% CI, 1.34-3.53; P = .002) higher. For early mortality, the odds ratios were 3.79 (95% CI, 1.26-11.34; P = .017) higher after OSR compared with cEVAR., Conclusions: In this study, after primary elective OSR for JRAAA, the odds for major complications, minor complications, and short-term mortality were significantly higher compared with cEVAR., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The sharp decrease in open surgical repair (OSR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has raised concerns about contemporary postoperative outcomes. The study was designed to analyse the impact of complications on clinical outcomes within 30 days following OSR., Methods: Patients who underwent OSR for intact AAA registered prospectively between 2016 and 2019 in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit were included. Complications and outcomes (death, secondary interventions, prolonged hospitalization) were evaluated. The adjusted relative risk (aRr) and 95 per cent confidence intervals were computed using Poisson regression. Subsequently, the population-attributable fraction (PAF) was calculated. The PAF reflects the expected percentage reduction of an outcome if a complication were to be completely prevented., Results: A total of 1657 patients were analysed. Bowel ischaemia and renal complications had the largest impact on death (aRr 12·44 (95 per cent c.i. 7·95 to 19·84) at PAF 20 (95 per cent c.i. 8·4 to 31·5) per cent and aRr 5·07 (95 per cent c.i. 3·18 to 8.07) at PAF 14 (95 per cent c.i. 0·7 to 27·0) per cent, respectively). Arterial occlusion had the greatest impact on secondary interventions (aRr 11·28 (95 per cent c.i. 8·90 to 14·30) at PAF 21 (95 per cent c.i. 14·7 to 28·1) per cent), and pneumonia (aRr 2·52 (95 per cent c.i. 2·04 to 3·10) at PAF 13 (95 per cent c.i. 8·3 to 17·8) per cent) on prolonged hospitalization. Small effects were observed on outcomes for other complications., Conclusion: The greatest clinical impact following OSR can be made by focusing on measures to reduce the occurrence of bowel ischaemia, arterial occlusion and pneumonia., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

Objective: Patients with intermittent claudication (IC) are initially treated with supervised exercise therapy (SET), as advised by national and international guidelines. Dutch health insurance companies and the Dutch National Health Care Institute suggested an 87% compliance rate with these guidelines in the Netherlands in 2017 and judged this to be undesirably low. The aim of this study was to evaluate compliance with IC guidelines and to elaborate on the reasons for deviating from them (practice variation) in a large teaching hospital., Methods: A retrospective single centre cohort study was conducted at a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands. In total, 420 patients with newly diagnosed IC between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018 were analysed. Data included risk profiles and prescribed therapies., Results: For all 420 included patients, the compliance rate with the guidelines for SET was 80.5%. The rate of adequately motivated and defensible practice variation was 15.7%; the rate of unjustified practice variation was 3.8%. Meaningful care was seen in 96.2% of cases., Conclusion: Deviation from IC guidelines was found in 19.5% of patients. Almost three quarters of this deviation can be explained by the decision to provide personalised, meaningful care., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Increased use of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and reduced open surgical repair (OSR), has decreased postoperative mortality after elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The choice between EVAR or OSR depends on aneurysm anatomy, and the experience and preference of the vascular surgeon, and therefore differs between hospitals. The aim of this study was to investigate the current mortality risk difference (RD) between EVAR and OSR, and the effect of hospital preference for EVAR on overall mortality., Methods: Primary elective infrarenal or juxtarenal aneurysm repairs registered in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (2013-2017) were analysed. First, mortality in hospitals with a higher preference for EVAR (high-EVAR group) was compared with that in hospitals with a lower EVAR preference (low-EVAR group), divided by the median percentage of EVAR. Second, the mortality RD between EVAR and OSR was determined by unadjusted and adjusted linear regression and propensity-score (PS) analysis and then by instrumental-variable (IV) analysis, adjusting for unobserved confounders; percentage EVAR by hospital was used as the IV., Results: A total of 11 997 patients were included. The median hospital rate of EVAR was 76.6 per cent. The overall mortality RD between high- and low-EVAR hospitals was 0.1 (95 per cent -0.5 to 0.4) per cent. The OSR mortality rate was significantly higher among high-EVAR hospitals than low-EVAR hospitals: 7.3 versus 4.0 per cent (RD 3.3 (1.4 to 5.3) per cent). The EVAR mortality rate was also higher in high-EVAR hospitals: 0.9 versus 0.7 per cent (RD 0.2 (-0.0 to 0.6) per cent). The RD following unadjusted, adjusted, and PS analysis was 4.2 (3.7 to 4.8), 4.4 (3.8 to 5.0), and 4.7 (4.1 to 5.3) per cent in favour of EVAR over OSR. However, the RD after IV analysis was not significant: 1.3 (-0.9 to 3.6) per cent., Conclusion: Even though EVAR has a lower mortality rate than OSR, the overall effect is offset by the high mortality rate after OSR in hospitals with a strong focus on EVAR., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

Objective: A stepped care model, in which patients are primarily treated with supervised exercise therapy (SET), is recommended as the optimal strategy for intermittent claudication (IC). The aim of this study was to determine the primary treatment (SET, endovascular revascularisation [ER], or open surgery) in relation to secondary lower limb revascularisation and survival in patients with IC., Methods: This study was a nationwide retrospective data analysis of health insurance claims of patients newly diagnosed with IC between January 2013 and December 2017. Exclusion criteria were the presence of diagnostic codes for critical limb ischaemia or for a diabetic foot. Study outcomes were distribution of primary treatment modalities, freedom from secondary lower limb revascularisation, and overall five year survival. Analysis included Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression models with adjustment for multiple confounders (age, gender, socioeconomic status, use of diabetes medication, statins, platelet aggregation inhibitors or anticoagulants, presence of cardiac disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pre-dialysis)., Results: The five year cohort included 54 504 patients with IC (primary SET n = 39 476, primary ER n = 11 769, and primary open surgery n = 3 259). SET as primary treatment increased from 63% in 2013 to 87% in 2017. Patients who underwent ER or open surgery as a primary treatment had a higher risk of secondary revascularisations (hazard ratio [HR] 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-1.51; p < .001 and HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.34-1.57; p < .001, respectively) and a higher mortality risk compared with SET as a primary treatment (HR 1.38; 95% CI 1.29-1.48; p < .001 and HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.34-1.65; p < .001, respectively)., Conclusion: Guideline adherence improved to 87% in Dutch patients with IC. Patients receiving primary SET had fewer lower limb revascularisations and demonstrated better survival than patients undergoing primary ER or open surgery., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Composite measures may better objectify hospital performance than individual outcome measures (IOM). Textbook outcome (TO) is an outcome measure achieved for an individual patient when all undesirable outcomes are absent. The aim of this study was to assess TO as an additional outcome measure to evaluate quality of care in symptomatic patients treated by carotid endarterectomy (CEA)., Methods: All symptomatic patients treated by CEA in 2018, registered in the Dutch Audit for Carotid Interventions, were included. TO was defined as a composite of the absence of 30 day mortality, neurological events (any stroke or transient ischaemic attack [TIA]), cranial nerve deficit, haemorrhage, 30 day readmission, prolonged length of stay (LOS; > 5 days) and any other surgical complication. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify covariables associated with achieving TO, which were used for casemix adjustment for hospital comparison. For each hospital, an observed vs. expected number of events ratio (O/E ratio) was calculated and plotted in a funnel plot with 95% control limits., Results: In total, 70.7% of patients had a desired outcome within 30 days after CEA and therefore achieved TO. Prolonged LOS was the most common parameter (85%) and mortality the least common (1.1%) for not achieving TO. Covariates associated with achieving TO were younger age, the absence of pulmonary comorbidity, higher haemoglobin levels, and TIA as index event. In the case mix adjusted funnel plot, the O/E ratios between hospitals ranged between 0.63 and 1.27, with two hospitals revealing a statistically significantly lower rate of TO (with O/E ratios of 0.63 and 0.66)., Conclusion: In the Netherlands, most patients treated by CEA achieve TO. Variation between hospitals in achieving TO might imply differences in performance. TO may be used as an additive to the pre-existing IOM, especially in surgical care with low baseline risk such as CEA., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The new 2019 guideline of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) recommends consideration for elective iliac artery aneurysm (eIAA) repair when the iliac diameter exceeds 3.5 cm, as opposed to 3.0 cm previously. The current study assessed diameters at time of eIAA repair and ruptured IAA (rIAA) repair and compared clinical outcomes after open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR)., Methods: This retrospective observational study used the nationwide Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (DSAA) registry that includes all patients who undergo aorto-iliac aneurysm repair in the Netherlands. All patients who underwent primary IAA repair between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2018 were included. Diameters at time of eIAA and rIAA repair were compared in a descriptive fashion. The anatomical location of the IAA was not registered in the registry. Patient characteristics and outcomes of OSR and EVAR were compared with appropriate statistical tests., Results: The DSAA registry comprised 974 patients who underwent IAA repair. A total of 851 patients were included after exclusion of patients undergoing revision surgery and patients with missing essential variables. eIAA repair was carried out in 713 patients, rIAA repair in 102, and symptomatic IAA repair in 36. OSR was performed in 205, EVAR in 618, and hybrid repairs and conversions in 28. The median maximum IAA diameter at the time of eIAA and rIAA repair was 43 (IQR 38-50) mm and 68 (IQR 58-85) mm, respectively. Mortality was 1.3% (95% CI 0.7-2.4) after eIAA repair and 25.5% (95% CI 18.0-34.7) after rIAA repair. Mortality was not significantly different between the OSR and EVAR subgroups. Elective OSR was associated with significantly more complications than EVAR (intra-operative: 9.8% vs. 3.6%, post-operative: 34.0% vs. 13.8%, respectively)., Conclusion: In the Netherlands, most eIAA repairs are performed at diameters larger than recommended by the ESVS guideline. These findings appear to support the recent increase in the threshold diameter for eIAA repair., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evidence to guide management of postdissection abdominal aortic aneurysms (PDAAA) is lacking. This study describes the outcomes of open repair of PDAAA., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all consecutive patients treated with open repair for PDAAA after a Stanford type A or type B thoracic aortic dissection between January 2006 and December 2017 in two vascular referral centers. Preceding type B dissection treatment could include conservative or surgical management. Primary outcomes were 30-day mortality, complication rates, survival, and reintervention-free survival. Survival and reintervention-free survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Reintervention was defined as any endovascular or surgical intervention after the index procedure., Results: Included were 36 patients (27 men [75%]) with a median age of 64 years (range, 35-81 years). The 30-day mortality was 2.7%. The median follow-up was 16 months (range, 0-88 months). The postoperative course was uneventful in 21 patients (58%). The most frequent complications were postoperative bleeding requiring repeat laparotomy (n = 4), pneumonia (n = 3), congestive heart failure (n = 2), new-onset atrial fibrillation (n = 2), mesenteric ischemia requiring left hemicolectomy (n=1), and ischemic cerebrovascular accident (n = 1). Renal failure requiring hemodialysis developed in one patient. The overall survival at 1 year was 88.8%. Reintervention-free survival was 95.5% after 1 year and 88.6% after 2 years., Conclusions: Open repair of PDAAA can be performed with a low mortality rate and an acceptable complication rate, comparable with elective open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms without dissection., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim was to compare peri-operative (30 day and/or in hospital) mortality between women and men in the Netherlands after elective repair of an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)., Methods: This was a retrospective study using data from the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (DSAA), a mandatory nationwide registry of patients undergoing AAA repair in the Netherlands. Patients who underwent elective open surgical (OSR) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) between 2013 and 2018 were included. Absolute risk differences (ARDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in peri-operative mortality between women and men were estimated. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for mortality. Confounders included pre-operative cardiac and pulmonary comorbidity, serum haemoglobin, serum creatinine, type of AAA repair, and AAA diameter., Results: Some 1662 women and 9637 men were included, of whom 507 (30.5%) women and 2056 (21.3%) men underwent OSR (p < .001). Crude peri-operative mortality was 3.01% in women and 1.60% in men (ARD = 1.41%, 95% CI 0.64-2.37). This significant difference was also observed for OSR (ARD = 2.63%, 95% CI 0.43-5.36), but not for EVAR (ARD = 0.36%, 95% CI -0.16 to 1.17). Female sex remained associated with peri-operative mortality after adjusting for confounders (OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.20-2.65, p = .004), which was similarly observed for OSR (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.16-2.94, p = .01), but not for EVAR (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 0.72-2.95, p = .29)., Conclusions: Peri-operative mortality after elective repair of an asymptomatic AAA in the Netherlands is higher in women than in men. This disparity might be explained by the higher peri-operative mortality in women undergoing OSR, because no such difference was found in patients undergoing EVAR. Yet, it is likely that there are unaccounted factors at play since female sex remained significantly associated with mortality after adjusting for type of repair., (Copyright © 2019 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: As the risk of a recurrent neurological event in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis requiring carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is highest in the early phase after the first neurological event, guidelines recommend operating on these patients as soon as possible or at least within 14 days of their initial event. However, in real world practice this is often not met. The aim of this study is to identify factors that cause hospital dependent delay to CEA., Methods: All consecutive patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis undergoing CEA registered in the mandatory Dutch Audit for Carotid Interventions from January 2014 up to and including December 2017 were included in the current analysis. Univariable followed by multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with hospital dependent waiting time, defined as time from the first consultation at any hospital to CEA of more than 14 days., Results: A total of 8620 patients were included. The median time to CEA was 11 days (IQR 8-14). Seventy-eight per cent of patients underwent CEA within 14 days of first hospital consultation. Factors associated with a hospital dependent waiting time longer than 14 days were age (OR 0.99 per year, 95% CI 0.98-0.99), any previous CEA (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.32-2.09), ocular symptoms as index event (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15-1.50), and indirect referral (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.34-1.73). Hospital surgical volume was not identified as a factor for delay, except for the delay of indirectly referred patients where high volume hospitals reported the shortest delay., Conclusion: This cohort derived from a validated nationwide prospective audit identified younger age, previous CEA, ocular symptoms, and indirect referral as hospital dependent factors for delay. High volume hospitals had a similar hospital dependent waiting time to middle and low volume hospitals. However, high volume hospitals had more indirect referrals, implying that their logistics are more efficiently organised., (Copyright © 2019 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the total midterm costs and cost-effectiveness of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with optional stenting (PTA/S) as initial treatment compared with femoropopliteal bypass (FPB) surgery in patients with medium-length TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II (TASC) B and C femoropopliteal lesions., Materials and Methods: Over a period of 3 years, all hospital health care costs for 226 consecutive patients were calculated: 170 patients with a TASC B lesion and 56 patients with a TASC C lesion. In the 135-patient PTA/S group (mean age 69.9±10.9 years; 83 men), 108 (63.5%) patients had TASC B lesions and 27 (48.2%) patients had TASC C lesions. Ninety-one patients (mean age 68.4±10.9 years; 60 men) were treated with FPB for 62 TASC B and 29 TASC C femoropopliteal lesions. The main outcome measure was the primary patency rate at 3-year follow-up. Multiple imputation and bootstrapping techniques were used to analyze the data. The adjusted incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated by dividing the difference in total costs by the difference in 3-year primary patency rate. Costs were expressed in euros (€), and cost differences are presented with the 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: Mean total costs per patient were €29,058 in the PTA/S treatment group vs €42,437 in the FPB group (mean adjusted difference -€14,820, 95% CI -€29,044 to -€5976). Differences in 3-year primary patency between PTA/S and FPB were small and nonsignificant (68.9% and 70.3%, respectively). An ICER of 563,716 was found, indicating that FPB costs €563,716 more per one extra patient reaching 3-year primary patency in comparison with PTA/S treatment., Conclusion: FPB in medium-length femoropopliteal lesions involved higher total costs when evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period. An endovascular-first approach is recommended, as this will result in cost minimization for patients with medium-length femoropopliteal disease.

Objectives: Diagnosing colonic ischaemia (CI) after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) repair is challenging. This study determined the diagnostic value of sigmoidoscopy in patients suspected of CI after RAAA repair., Methods: This was a retrospective multicentre cohort study. Patients who underwent RAAA repair in three hospitals in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, between 2004 and 2011 (AJAX cohort) were included. Sigmoidoscopies were carried out based on clinical judgment. Endoscopy results were classified as "no ischaemia," "mild CI," or "moderate to severe CI." The surgical diagnosis was classified as "transmural" or "no transmural" CI. The value of sigmoidoscopy was assessed with calculation of positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) with 95% CI for transmural CI. Logistic regression analysis was used to express the association of risk factors with CI as adjusted OR., Results: Transmural CI was diagnosed in 23 of 351 patients (6.6%). Thirteen of sixteen patients (81%) who underwent direct laparotomy for high suspicion of CI indeed had transmural CI. Forty-six patients (13%) underwent sigmoidoscopy. The prevalence of transmural CI was 22% (10/46; 95% CI 12-36%) in these patients. The PPV for transmural CI of "moderate to severe CI" on sigmoidoscopy was 73% (8/11; 95% CI 43-90%). The PPV of "mild CI" on sigmoidoscopy was 11% (2/19; 95% CI 2.9-31%). The NPV of "no ischaemia" on sigmoidoscopy was 100% (95% CI 78-100%). Cardiac comorbidity (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.19-7.97), low first haemoglobin (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.47-0.87), and high vasopressor administration (OR 9.4, 95% CI 1.99-44.46) were independently associated with CI., Conclusions: Sigmoidoscopy increases the likelihood of correctly identifying the presence or absence of transmural CI, especially in patients with a moderate clinical suspicion for CI after RAAA repair., (Copyright © 2018 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: The recent ESC guideline advises primary stent placement in superficial femoral arterial disease (SFAD). The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of SFAD patients selected for stent placement with plain percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA)., Materials and Methods: A single centre retrospective, observational analysis was performed of all consecutive patients undergoing endovascular treatment for SFAD from 2004 to 2015. Primary endpoints were primary and secondary clinical patency rates in patients with or without stent placement. Secondary endpoints were recurrence rates and number of amputations. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare patency rates. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounding variables and to identify variables associated with loss of patency., Results: A total of 389 patients were analysed with a median follow up of 42 months. Two hundred and fifty one patients (64.5%) were stented. Primary clinical patency rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 82.8%, 71.0%, and 65.6% after PTA and 76.3%, 65.7%, and 58.1% after stent placement (PTA-S), respectively (p = .30). Secondary patency rates were also comparable for the PTA and PTA-S group resulting in 1, 3 and 5 year clinical secondary patency of 89.1%, 81.0%, and 76.3% in the PTA group versus 87.8%, 78.5%, and 71.9% in the PTA-S group (p = .58). Multivariable analysis revealed equal primary and secondary clinical patency between the treatment groups. The absolute re-intervention rate was 29.3%. The number of re-interventions and amputation rate did not significantly differ between the two groups (p = .41 and p = .75)., Conclusions: Selective stenting in patients with SFAD shows comparable results in long-term clinical outcomes in patients who were treated with plain PTA as well as patients who are selected for stent placement. An approach of selective stenting is justified., (Copyright © 2018 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives Stent grafts for endovascular repair of infrarenal aneurysms are commercially available for aortic necks up to 32 mm in diameter. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of endovascular repair with large thoracic stent grafts in the infrarenal position to obtain adequate proximal seal in wider necks. Methods All patients who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair using thoracic stent grafts with diameters greater than 36 mm between 2012 and 2016 were included. Follow-up consisted of CT angiography after six weeks and annual duplex thereafter. Results Eleven patients with wide infrarenal aortic necks received endovascular repair with thoracic stent grafts. The median diameter of the aneurysms was 60 mm (range 52-78 mm) and the median aortic neck diameter was 37 mm (range 28-43 mm). Thoracic stent grafts were oversized by a median of 14% (range 2-43%). On completion angiography, one type I and two type II endoleaks were observed but did not require reintervention. One patient experienced graft migration with aneurysm sac expansion and needed conversion to open repair. Median follow-up time was 14 months (range 2-53 months), during which three patients died, including one aneurysm-related death. Conclusions Endovascular repair using thoracic stent grafts for patients with wide aortic necks is feasible. In these patients, the technique may be a reasonable alternative to complex endovascular repair with fenestrated, branched, or chimney grafts. However, more experience and longer follow-up are required to determine its position within the endovascular armamentarium.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with a substantial cardiovascular risk and secondary prevention is recommended for all patients. In this report, the literature on anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs for patients with PAD in the femoro-popliteal segment is reviewed. PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Database was searched for studies published between January 1966 and August 2017. Meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials describing outcome of anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs for secondary prevention or following vascular interventions in patients with PAD were included. All patients with PAD should receive antiplatelet therapy to reduce cardiovascular risk with a slight preference for clopidogrel monotherapy. Following intervention, most patients will continue to benefit from this treatment. Patients receiving a venous bypass graft will benefit from VKA treatment and those with a below-knee prosthetic bypass graft should receive dual antiplatelet therapy (acetylsalicylic acid combined with clopidogrel). Further sufficiently powered studies are needed to further explore the optimal medical treatment for patients that undergo vascular interventions.

Background: Guidelines advise periprocedural saline hydration for prevention of contrast induced-acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We analysed whether 1-hour sodium bicarbonate hydration administered solely prior to intra-arterial contrast exposure is non-inferior to standard periprocedural saline hydration in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing elective cardiovascular diagnostic or interventional contrast procedures., Methods: We performed an open-label multicentre non-inferiority trial between 2011-2014. Patients were randomized to 1 hour pre-procedure sodium bicarbonate hydration (250 ml 1.4%, N = 168) or 4-12 hours saline hydration (1000 ml 0.9%, N = 165) prior to and following contrast administration (2000 ml of saline total). Primary outcome was the relative serum creatinine increase (%) 48-96 hours post contrast exposure. Secondary outcomes were: incidence of CI-AKI (serum creatinine increase>25% or >44μmol/L), recovery of renal function, the need for dialysis, and hospital costs within two months follow-up., Results: Mean relative creatinine increase was 3.1% (95%CI 0.9 to 5.2%) in the bicarbonate and 1.1% (95%CI -1.2 to 3.5%) in the saline arm, mean difference 1.9% (95%CI -1.2 to 5.1%, p-non-inferiority <0.001). CI-AKI occurred in 11 (6.7%) patients randomized to sodium bicarbonate and 12 (7.5%) to saline (p = 0.79). Renal function did not fully recover in 40.0% and 44.4% of CI-AKI patients, respectively (p = 0.84). No patient required dialysis. Mean costs for preventive hydration and clinical preparation for the contrast procedure were $1158 for sodium bicarbonate vs. $1561 for saline (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Short hydration with sodium bicarbonate prior to elective cardiovascular diagnostic or therapeutic contrast procedures is non-inferior to standard periprocedural saline hydration in CKD patients with respect to renal safety and results in considerable healthcare savings., Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register (http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp), Nr NTR2699.

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major complication of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA). Severe AKI is associated with high morbidity and mortality in the short term. The objective of this study was to determine the association between AKI after RAAA repair and long-term survival., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing RAAA repair in three hospitals between 2004 and 2011. Outcomes were long-term survival after RAAA repair, incidence of postoperative AKI, and chronic dialysis rates. Survival rates were compared between different AKI groups (no AKI, Risk, Injury, Failure) with Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and log-rank tests. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were carried out to assess the association of survival with AKI, preoperative shock, postoperative shock, and sex. The main analysis focused on the group of patients surviving initial hospital stay., Results: Our study encompassed 362 patients with RAAA. AKI occurred in 267 of 362 patients (74%). At discharge, 267 patients were alive (74%). Median survival in this group was 7.2 years. Survival was not significantly different between the four AKI groups (P = .07). However, the univariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between Failure and reduced long-term survival compared with having no AKI (hazard ratio, 1.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.97). This association did not remain significant after multivariable adjustment. Four patients were discharged with chronic dialysis, and four other patients needed chronic dialysis later after discharge., Conclusions: This study demonstrates no significant independent association between AKI after RAAA repair and long-term survival. Only a small proportion of patients developed end-stage renal disease at a later stage in life., (Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate a new composite quality measurement, which comprises a desirable outcome for elective aneurysm surgery, called "Textbook Outcome" (TO)., Background: Single-quality indicators in vascular surgery are often not distinctive and insufficiently reflect the quality of care., Methods: All patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, registered in the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit between 2014 and 2015 were included. TO was defined as the percentage of patients who had abdominal aortic aneurysm-repair without intraoperative complications, postoperative surgical complications, reinterventions, prolonged hospital stay [endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) ≤4 d, open surgical repair (OSR) ≤10 d], readmissions, and postoperative mortality (≤30 d after surgery/at discharge). Case-mix adjusted TO rates were used to compare hospitals and to compare individual hospital results for different procedures., Results: Five thousand one hundred seventy patients were included, of whom 4039 were treated with EVAR and 1131 with OSR. TO was achieved in 71% of EVAR and 53% of OSR. Important obstacles for achieving TO were a prolonged hospital stay, postoperative complications, and readmissions. Adjusted TO rates varied from 38% to 89% (EVAR) and from 0% to 97% (OSR) between individual hospitals. Hospitals with a high TO for OSR also had a high TO for EVAR; however, a high TO for EVAR did not implicate a high TO for OSR., Conclusions: TO generates additional information to evaluate the overall quality of the care of elective aneurysm surgery, which subsequently can be used by hospitals to improve the quality of their care.

Background: Endovascular aortic sealing (EVAS) with a sac anchoring endoprosthesis excludes abdominal aortic aneurysms based on polymer filling of endobags. Primary objective was to assess the reliability of pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) scans based calculations of required endobag volume in relation to intraoperative volume of the endobags., Methods: Forty elective EVAS patients were included. Pre-procedural estimations of endobag volume were based on CT segmentations of aortic flow lumen volume, including both automated and manually-adjusted segmentations, performed by two experienced users. Additionally, changes in maximum AAA diameter, thrombus volume and total AAA volume were calculated from pre- and post-procedural CT scans., Results: Automatically determined volumes were comparable to manually-adjusted calculations (75.3 vs. 75.7 mL) and inter-observer agreement regarding pre-EVAS calculations of prefill volume appeared almost perfect with an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99). The mean pressure of the endobags was 185 mmHg. Manually-adjusted pre-procedural volume calculations underestimated procedural volume of the endobags (-11.3±9.9 mL). Differences between pre-EVAS and procedural volume measurements were independent from endobag pressure (r=-0.06, P=0.72), prepocedural thrombus volume (r=-0.303, P=0.057) and changes in total AAA volume (r=0.02, P=0.91). A significant association was determined between differences in pre-EVAS and endobag volume versus changes in thrombus volume pre- and post-procedural (r=0.39, P=0.01)., Conclusions: In this validation study, pre-procedural volume measurements underestimate the actual fill volume of the endobags. It should be advised to perform a prefill of the endobags during the EVAS procedure.

Background: The introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has reduced perioperative mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery. The objective of this systematic review was to assess existing mortality risk prediction models, and identify which are most useful for patients undergoing AAA repair by either EVAR or open surgical repair., Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted for perioperative mortality risk prediction models for patients with AAA published since 2006. PRISMA guidelines were used; quality was appraised, and data were extracted and interpreted following the CHARMS guidelines., Results: Some 3903 studies were identified, of which 27 were selected. A total of 13 risk prediction models have been developed and directly validated. Most models were based on a UK or US population. The best performing models regarding both applicability and discrimination were the perioperative British Aneurysm Repair score (C-statistic 0·83) and the preoperative Vascular Biochemistry and Haematology Outcome Model (C-statistic 0·85), but both lacked substantial external validation., Conclusion: Mortality risk prediction in AAA surgery has been modelled extensively, but many of these models are weak methodologically and have highly variable performance across different populations. New models are unlikely to be helpful; instead case-mix correction should be modelled and adapted to the population of interest using the relevant mortality predictors., (© 2017 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective/background: A previous budget impact analysis regarding a supervised exercise therapy (SET) first treatment strategy (stepped care model [SCM]) for Dutch patients with intermittent claudication (IC) showed a low referral rate in 2009, despite solid evidence of the effectiveness of SET programs. Recently, several campaigns have stimulated stakeholders in the field to adopt a SET first strategy in patients with IC. The aim of the present study was to reassess SCM adherence after a 2 year period., Methods: IC related invoices of patients in 2011 were obtained from a large Dutch health insurance company (3.5 million persons). Patients were divided into two groups based on their initial treatment. A SET group had started SET between 12 months before (initiated by general practitioner) and 3 months after (initiated by vascular surgeon) presentation at a vascular surgery outpatient clinic. An intervention (INT) group was treated by revascularisation within 3 months of outpatient presentation. Costs of IC treatment in this 2011 cohort were compared with the earlier 2009 cohort., Results: IC related invoices of 4135 patients were available. In 2011, the initial treatment was SET in 56% (2009: 34%; +22% [p < .001]) and INT in 44% (2009: 66%; -22% [p < .001]) of the IC population. Additional revascularisation was performed in 19% of patients in the SET group (2009: 6%; +13% [p < .001]) and also in 19% of patients in the INT group (2009: 35%; -16% [p < .001]). Later on, 29% of patients in the INT group were referred for SET (2009: 10%; +19% [p < .001]). Average costs of IC treatment per patient in 2011 were 6% lower than in 2009 (€6885 vs. €7300; p = .020)., Conclusion: A 22% increase in adherence to SET as a first treatment strategy in Dutch patients with IC was attained between 2009 and 2011. This shift suggests successful SCM implementation resulting in lower costs for the national healthcare system., (Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective/background: The Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit (DSAA) is mandatory for all patients with primary abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in the Netherlands. The aims are to present the observed outcomes of AAA surgery against the predicted outcomes by means of V-POSSUM (Vascular-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity). Adjusted mortality was calculated by the original and re-estimated V(physiology)-POSSUM for hospital comparisons., Methods: All patients operated on from January 2013 to December 2014 were included for analysis. Calibration and discrimination of V-POSSUM and V(p)-POSSUM was analysed. Mortality was benchmarked by means of the original V(p)-POSSUM formula and risk-adjusted by the re-estimated V(p)-POSSUM on the DSAA., Results: In total, 5898 patients were included for analysis: 4579 with elective AAA (EAAA) and 1319 with acute abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAAA), acute symptomatic (SAAA; n = 371) or ruptured (RAAA; n = 948). The percentage of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) varied between hospitals but showed no relation to hospital volume (EAAA: p = .12; AAAA: p = .07). EAAA, SAAA, and RAAA mortality was, respectively, 1.9%, 7.5%, and 28.7%. Elective mortality was 0.9% after EVAR and 5.0% after open surgical repair versus 15.6% and 27.4%, respectively, after AAAA. V-POSSUM overestimated mortality in most EAAA risk groups (p < .01). The discriminative ability of V-POSSUM in EAAA was moderate (C-statistic: .719) and poor for V(p)-POSSUM (C-statistic: .665). V-POSSUM in AAAA repair overestimated in high risk groups, and underestimated in low risk groups (p < .01). The discriminative ability in AAAA of V-POSSUM was moderate (.713) and of V(p)-POSSUM poor (.688). Risk adjustment by the re-estimated V(p)-POSSUM did not have any effect on hospital variation in EAAA but did in AAAA., Conclusion: Mortality in the DSAA was in line with the literature but is not discriminative for hospital comparisons in EAAA. Adjusting for V(p)-POSSUM, revealed no association between hospital volume and treatment or outcome. Risk adjustment for case mix by V(p)-POSSUM in patients with AAAA has been shown to be important., (Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Critical limb ischaemia (CLI) is the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and is associated with high amputation and mortality rates and poor quality of life. For CLI patients with no revascularisation options, venous arterialisation could be a last resort for limb salvage., Objective: To review the literature on the clinical effectiveness of venous arterialisation for lower limb salvage in CLI patients with no revascularisation options., Method: Different databases were searched for papers published between January 1966 and January 2016. The criteria for eligible articles were studies describing outcomes of venous arterialisation, published in English, human studies, and with the full text available. Additionally, studies were excluded if they did not report limb salvage, wound healing or amputation as outcome measures. The primary outcome measure was post-operative limb salvage at 12 months. Secondary outcome measures were 30 day or in-hospital mortality, survival, patency, technical success, and wound healing., Results: Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies described 768 patients. According to the MINORS score, methodological quality was moderate to poor. The estimated pooled limb salvage rate at one year was 75% (0.75, 95% CI 0.70-0.81). Thirty day or in-hospital mortality was reported in 12 studies and ranged from 0 to 10%. Overall survival was reported in 10 studies and ranged from 54% to 100% with a mean follow-up ranging from 5 to 60 months. Six studies reported on patency of the venous arterialisations performed, with a range of 59-71% at 12 months., Conclusion: In this systematic review on venous arterialisation in patients with non-reconstructable critical limb ischaemia, the pooled proportion of limb salvage at 12 months was 75%. Venous arterialisation could be a valuable treatment option in patients facing amputation of the affected limb; however, the current evidence is of low quality., (Copyright © 2016 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The decision whether or not to proceed with surgical intervention of a patient with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is very difficult in daily practice. The primary objective of the present study was to develop and to externally validate a new prediction model: the Dutch Aneurysm Score (DAS)., Methods: With a prospective cohort of 10 hospitals (n = 508) the DAS was developed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Two retrospective cohorts with rAAA patients from two hospitals (n = 373) were used for external validation. The primary outcome was the combined 30 day and in-hospital death rate. Discrimination (AUC), calibration plots, and the ability to identify high risk patients were compared with the more commonly used Glasgow Aneurysm Score (GAS)., Results: After multivariate logistic regression, four pre-operative variables were identified: age, lowest in hospital systolic blood pressure, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and haemoglobin level. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) for the DAS was 0.77 (95% CI 0.72-0.82) compared with the GAS with an AUC of 0.72 (95% CI 0.67-0.77). The DAS showed a death rate in patients with a predicted death rate ≥80% of 83%., Conclusions: The present study shows that the DAS has a higher discriminative performance (AUC) compared with the GAS. All clinical variables used for the DAS are easy to obtain. Identification of low risk patients with the DAS can potentially reduce turndown rates. The DAS can reliably be used by clinicians to make a more informed decision in dialogue with the patient and their family whether or not to proceed with surgical intervention., (Copyright © 2016 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Arterial closure devices (ACDs) seem to be safe and effective to obtain hemostasis for cardiac interventions and diagnostic vascular procedures. However, only limited evidence is presented on therapeutic interventions in patients with peripheral atherosclerotic disease. We compared ischemic and hemorrhagic complications of an ACD vs manual compression (MC) after puncture of the femoral artery for endovascular lower extremity procedures., Methods: The records of all subsequent endovascular interventions for peripheral artery disease performed in a large teaching hospital, from January 2012 to April 2014, were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was an ischemic complication requiring reintervention. Secondary outcomes were hematoma (needing conservative or invasive intervention) and infection (needing intervention or antibiotics). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors for any complication., Results: The Angio-Seal (St. Jude Medical, Minnetonka, Minn) closure device was used in 244 of 463 endovascular interventions (54%). Five patients (2%) who received an ACD needed emergency surgery for ischemic complications vs none in the MC group (P = .06). Hematomas occurred in 22 patients (9%) after ACD vs in six (3%) after MC (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-8.9; P = .015). There were no infections in either group. ACD (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.5-9.7) and current smoking (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.01-6.7) were independent predictors for any complication., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ACD use in patients with peripheral artery disease can lead to serious adverse events resulting in increased morbidity. Therefore, the potential benefits of an ACD over MC should be carefully weighed., (Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective/background: The aim of this study was to estimate the lifetime cost-effectiveness of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) versus open surgical repair (OSR) in the Netherlands, based on recently published literature., Methods: A model was developed to simulate a cohort of individuals (age 72 years, 87% men) with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) diameter of at least 5.5 cm and considered fit for both repairs. The model consisted of two sub-models that estimated the lifetime cost-effectiveness of EVAR versus OSR: (1) a decision tree for the first 30 post-operative days; and (2) a Markov model for the period thereafter (31 days-30 years)., Results: In the base case analysis, EVAR was slightly more effective (4.704 vs. 4.669 quality adjusted life years) and less expensive (€24,483 vs. €25,595) than OSR. Improved effectiveness occurs because EVAR can reduce 30 day mortality risk, as well as the risk of events following the procedure, while lower costs are primarily due to a reduction in length of hospital stay. The cost-effectiveness of EVAR is highly dependent on the price of the EVAR device and the reduction in hospital stay, complications, and 30 day mortality., Conclusion: EVAR and OSR can be considered equally effective, while EVAR can be cost saving compared with OSR. EVAR can therefore be considered as a cost-effective solution for patients with AAAs., (Copyright © 2016 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Shared decision making (SDM) is a process in which patients and their doctors collaborate in choosing a suitable treatment option by incorporating patient values and preferences, as well as the best available evidence. Particularly in vascular surgery, several conditions seem suitable for SDM because there are multiple treatment options. The objective of this study was to assess the degree of SDM behaviour in vascular surgery., Methods: Vascular surgeons of four Dutch hospitals selected consultations with patients who were facing a treatment decision. Immediately after the consultation, patients and surgeons completed the (subjective) SDM Q-9 and SDM Q-doc questionnaires respectively, to appreciate the perceived level of SDM behaviour. Two evaluators independently and objectively rated SDM behaviour in the audiotaped consultations, using the Observing Patient Involvement (OPTION-12) scale., Results: Nine vascular surgeons and three vascular surgeons in training conducted 54 consultations. The patients' median SDM Q-9 score was high, 93% (IQR 79-100%), and 16/54 (29.6%) of them gave the maximum score. The surgeons' median score was also high, 84% (IQR 73-92%), while 4/54 (7.4%) gave the maximum score. In contrast, mean OPTION score was 31% (SD 11%). Surgeons hardly ever asked the patients for their preferred approach to receive information, whether they had understood the provided information, and how they would like to be involved in SDM., Conclusions: Currently, objective SDM behaviour among vascular surgeons is limited, even though the presented disorders allow for SDM. Hence, SDM in vascular surgical consultations could be improved by increasing the patients' and surgeons' awareness and knowledge about the concept of SDM., (Copyright © 2015 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with a large unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with a diameter >5.0 cm are treated with open surgical repair (OSR) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Because many studies have assessed the cost-effectiveness of these treatments with conflicting results, this systematic review examined published cost-effectiveness analyses of elective EVAR vs OSR in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm., Methods: A systematic search strategy using three databases was conducted to find all relevant studies. Characteristics extracted from these studies included study characteristics (eg, age of the population), input parameters (eg, costs of the EVAR procedure), general results, and sensitivity analyses. The quality of each study was assessed using the Drummond checklist., Results: The search identified 1141 potentially relevant studies, of which 13 studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies found that EVAR was more expensive and more effective than OSR. However, most studies concluded that the health gained from EVAR did not offset the higher total costs, leading to an unacceptably high incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. EVAR was considered more cost-effective in patient groups with a high surgical risk. The quality of most studies was judged as reasonably good., Conclusions: Overall, published cost-effectiveness analyses of EVAR do not provide a clear answer about whether elective EVAR is a cost-effective solution because the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio varies considerably among the studies. This answer can best be provided through a cost-effectiveness analysis of EVAR that incorporates more recent technologic advances and the improved experience that clinicians have with EVAR., (Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Endovascular aortic sealing (EVAS) with the Nellix endosystem (Endologix, Irvine, CA, USA) is a new concept to treat infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). By sealing the aneurysm, potential endoleaks may be avoided. Early results of EVAS are good, but no data have been published regarding peri-procedural changes in aortoiliac anatomy. In this study, 27 consecutive patients who underwent elective EVAS repair of an AAA were reviewed., Method: Specific AAA (diameter, length from renal arteries to aortic bifurcation, supra- and infrarenal neck angulation, AAA volume, thrombus volume, and flow lumen volume), and iliac artery characteristics (length, angulation, location of most severe angulation with reference to the origin of the common iliac artery) were determined from pre- and post-procedural reconstructed computed tomography angiograms., Results: No type I or II endoleaks were seen at 30 day follow up. Total AAA volume, suprarenal and infrarenal angulation, as well as aortic neck diameter did not change significantly post-EVAS. AAA flow lumen increased significantly (mean difference -4.4 mL, 95% CI 2.0 to -8.6 mL) and AAA thrombus volume decreased (mean difference 3.2 mL, 95% CI 2.0 to -1.1 mL). AAA length (125.7 mm vs. 123.1 mm), left common iliac artery length (57.6 mm vs. 55.3 mm), and right and left maximum iliac artery angulation (right 37.4° vs. 32.2°; left: 43.9° vs. 38.4°) were reduced significantly and the location of maximum angulation was further from the iliac artery origin post-EVAS, suggesting slight straightening of the aortoiliac anatomy., Conclusion: Most aortoiliac anatomic characteristics remained unchanged post-EVAS. Filling of the endobags to a pressure of 180 mmHg may lead to lost thrombus volume in some patients, probably because liquid is squeezed into lumbar or the inferior mesenteric artery. The absolute differences in pre- and post-EVAS aortoiliac lengths were small, so pre-operative sizing is accurate for determining stent length., (Copyright © 2015 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The minimally important difference (MID) represents the smallest change in score on patient-reported outcome measures that is relevant to patients. The aim of this study was to introduce the MID for the Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire (VascuQol) and the walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ) for patients with intermittent claudication (IC)., Methods: In this multicenter study, we recruited 294 patients with IC between July and October 2012. Patients completed the VascuQol, with scores ranging from 1 to 7 (worst to best), and the WIQ, with scores ranging from 0 to 1 (worst to best) at first visit and after 4 months follow-up. In addition, patients answered an anchor-question rating their health status compared to baseline, as being improved, unchanged, or deteriorated. The MID for improvement and deterioration was calculated by an anchor-based approach, and determined with the upper and lower limits of the 95 % confidence interval of the mean change of the group who had not changed according to the anchor-question., Results: For the MID analyses of the VascuQol and WIQ, 163 and 134 patients were included, respectively. The MID values for the VascuQol (mean baseline score 4.25) were 0.87 for improvement and 0.23 for deterioration. For the WIQ (mean baseline score 0.39), we found MID values of 0.11 and -0.03 for improvement and deterioration, respectively., Conclusion: In this study, we calculated the MID for the VascuQol and the WIQ. Applying these MID facilitates better interpretation of treatment outcomes and can help to set treatment goals for individual care.

Introduction: The primary objective of this study was to assess the duration of in-hospital survival in 57 patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAA) who did not undergo surgical intervention., Report: Two hours after registration in the emergency room, 58% (95% CI 45-71) of patients were still alive. The median survival was 2.2 hours (interquartile range 1-18). In a subgroup including 26 haemodynamically stable patients, survival after 2 hours was 96% (95% CI 89-100)., Conclusion: In patients with an RAAA without surgical intervention, the duration of in-hospital survival is limited. However, a group of haemodynamically stable patients can be identified in whom survival is much longer., (Copyright © 2014 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)