Complex endovascular aneurysm repair is associated with higher perioperative mortality but not late mortality compared with infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair among octogenarians.

OBJECTIVE

As our collective experience with complex endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has grown, an increasing number of older patients are being offered endovascular repair of juxtarenal aneurysms. Outcomes after complex EVAR in this older subpopulation are not well-described. We sought to specifically evaluate clinical outcomes after complex EVAR compared with infrarenal EVAR in a cohort of octogenarians.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective review was conducted using a database of consecutive patients treated with elective EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) between 2009 and 2015. Only patients 80 years of age or older were included. Patients in the complex EVAR group were treated with either snorkel/chimney or fenestrated techniques, whereas infrarenal EVAR consisted of aneurysm repair without renal or visceral involvement. Relevant demographic, anatomic, and device variables, and clinical outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

There were 103 patients (68 infrarenal, 35 complex) treated within the study period with a mean follow-up of 21 months. A total of 75 branch grafts were placed (59 renal, 11 celiac, 5 superior mesenteric artery) in the complex group, with a target vessel patency of 98.2% at latest follow-up. Patients undergoing complex EVAR were more likely to be male (82.8% vs 60.2%; P = .02) and have a higher prevalence of renal insufficiency (71.4% vs 44.2%; P = .008). The 30-day mortality was significantly greater in patients treated with complex EVAR (8.6% vs 0%; P = .03). There were no differences in major adverse events (P = .795) or late reintervention (P = .232) between groups. Interestingly, sac growth of more than 10 mm was noted to be more frequent with infrarenal EVAR (17.6% vs 2.8%; P = .039). However, both type IA (5.7% infrarenal; 4.9% complex) and type II endoleaks (32.3% infrarenal; 25.7% complex) were found to be equally common in both groups. Complex EVAR was not associated with increased all-cause mortality at latest follow-up (P = .322). Multivariable Cox modeling demonstrated that AAAs greater than 75 mm in diameter (hazard ratio; 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 4.6-48.2) and renal insufficiency (hazard ratio, 3.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-11.6) were the only independent risk factors of late death.

CONCLUSIONS

Complex EVAR is associated with greater perioperative mortality compared with infrarenal EVAR among octogenarians. However, late outcomes, including the need for reintervention and all-cause mortality, are not significantly different. Larger aneurysms and chronic kidney disease portends greater risk of late death after EVAR, regardless of AAA complexity. These patient-related factors should be considered when offering endovascular treatment to older patients.