Race-Based Variation in the Utilization of Epidural Analgesia in Addition to General Anesthesia for Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair in the United States.

Background: Epidural analgesia (EA) is recommended along with general anesthesia (GA) for patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA) and is known to be associated with improved postoperative outcomes. This study evaluates inequities in using this superior analgesic approach and further assesses the disparities at patient and hospital levels.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using the Vascular Quality Initiative database of adult patients undergoing elective open AAA repair between 2003 and 2022.

Modified Frailty Index Can Be Used to Predict Adverse Outcomes and Mortality after Lower Extremity Bypass Surgery.

Background: Frailty has been increasingly used as a prognostic indicator for various surgical operations. Patients with peripheral arterial disease represent a cohort of population with advanced medical comorbidities. The aim of this study is to correlate the postoperative outcomes after lower extremity bypass surgery with preoperative modified frailty index (mFI).

Unplanned return to operating room after lower extremity endovascular intervention is an independent predictor for hospital readmission.

Objective: Hospital readmissions after surgical operations are preventable and are now counted as a quality metric. Patients with peripheral arterial disease often have several serious medical comorbidities. With advancements in endovascular technology and increasing comfort level of vascular surgeons, more and more patients with peripheral arterial disease are being treated with endovascular therapy.

Ultrasound-guided angioplasty of autogenous arteriovenous fistulas in the office setting.

Objective: There has been an increasing awareness of the superiority of native arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) over prosthetic grafts for dialysis access. Many AVFs fail to mature, however, and others develop stenosis while in use. There is growing experience in treating these patients in the interventional suite with percutaneous balloon angioplasty.