Comparative analysis of perioperative outcomes in endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: Fascia iliaca block versus general anesthesia, a retrospective study.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to compare rates of perioperative mortality and morbidity, especially pulmonary complication, between endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) performed under general anesthesia (GA) and under fascia iliaca block (FIB).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) who were treated with EVAR were included. Retrospective review of electronic medical records was performed. Patient characteristics, operative details, and postoperative results including mortality and morbidity within 30 days were collected. Statistical analysis to compare postoperative outcomes between EVAR under FIB and EVAR under GA was performed. A univariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with increased 30-day mortality.

Results: This study included 119 patients, 75 in the FIB group and 44 in the GA group. Most patients were male, with 62 (82.5%) in the FIB group and 31 (70.2%) in the GA group, and most patients were hypertensive, with 57 (76%) in the FIB group and 36 (81.8%) in the GA group. Smoking and coronary artery disease (CAD) was more prevalent in the FIB group, < .05. Thirty-day mortality was not significantly different between the FIB group and the GA group (1 (1.3%) vs 2 (4.5%), = .554). Pulmonary complication was lower in the FIB group than in the GA group (1.3% vs 11.4%, = .026). ICU stay was shorter in the FIB group than in the GA group (0.2 vs 4.5 days, = .012). Univariate analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was associated with higher 30-day mortality.

Conclusions: Endovascular aneurysm repair under FIB was feasible. Compared to GA, this approach resulted in lower postoperative pulmonary complications and shorter ICU stay.