[Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in octogenarians]

The increase in life expectancy results in a higher number of patients with an advanced age over 80 years requiring abdominal aortic aneurysm therapy. The aim of this study was to review the outcome of octogenarians undergoing endovascular treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Between June 2004 and March 2008 25 patients (24 males, one female), with a mean age of 83 +/- 2.6 years (range: 80-91 years) underwent elective endovascular treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms. The average preoperative aneurysm diameter was 57 +/- 9.8 mm (range: 40-80 mm). All procedures were carried out in the angiography suite under general anesthesia.

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair was technically successful in all patients. There was one perioperative death due to an aneurysm-related complication. The perioperative (30 days) mortality rate was 4 %. Intensive care unit admission was required in five patients. The in-hospital morbidity rate was 20 %. Mean follow-up time was 18.7 +/- 14 months (range: 2 to 47 months). Two patients died from unrelated causes. There were no device- or aneurysm-related deaths. A patient with a type I A endoleak underwent correction by additional stent-graft placement four weeks after initial placement.

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in octogenarians is a valuable alternative to open aortic repair and can be performed safely and successfully. We strongly recommend the endovascular treatment for patients over 80 years of age with an appropriate size of aortic aneurysm.