Emergency treatment of symptomatic or ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: the role of endovascular repair.

Purpose: To report the initial experience with endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in patients with ruptured or symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and to compare the results with conventional open surgery.

Methods: Between May 1999 and December 2001, 24 patients (21 men; mean age 75 years, range 56-89) with ruptured or symptomatic AAA underwent EVAR using a specially designed aortomonoiliac endograft. Six patients were selected based on device and operator availability; the subsequent 18 patients were treated under a modified management protocol that offered stent-graft repair to all symptomatic AAA patients. The results of this new treatment protocol were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis for the last 8 months of the study. The 30-day outcomes in all patients treated with emergency EVAR were compared with 40 consecutive, contemporaneous patients undergoing open surgery for symptomatic or ruptured AAA.

Results: No early conversions to open surgery were performed. Significantly decreased operative blood loss and intensive care stay (p<0.05 for both) were observed in EVAR patients. The mortality rate for EVAR patients was 17% compared to 32% in conventionally treated patients (NS). Among patients with ruptured AAA, the 30-day mortality rates were 24% (4/17) and 41% (12/29) for EVAR and open surgery, respectively (NS). Of 26 unselected patients who were treated prospectively under the modified protocol, the majority (81%, 21/26) had anatomy suitable for endovascular repair; however, only 18 (69%) underwent EVAR owing to a short infrarenal neck (n=2) or device/operator unavailability (n=6).

Conclusions: EVAR is a feasible treatment in the majority of patients with ruptured or symptomatic AAA. The 30-day mortality appears to be similar between conventionally treated patients and those undergoing endovascular repair.