Postdischarge outcomes after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Perioperative outcomes after endovascular repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have been rigorously studied; however, inpatient and postdischarge outcomes have not been separately analyzed. The objective of this study was to examine postdischarge 30-day outcomes after elective EVAR.

Patients who underwent an elective EVAR for AAA (n = 11,229) were identified from the American College of Surgeons 2005-2010 National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.

The median length of hospital stay was 2 days (interquartile range, 1-3 days). Overall 30-day mortality was 1.0% (n = 117), with 31% (n = 36) of the patients dying after discharge. Overall 30-day morbidity was 10.7% (n = 1204), with 40% (n = 500) of the morbidities being postdischarge. The median time of death and complication was 9 and 3 days, respectively, after surgery. Eighty-eight percent of the wound infections (n = 205 of 234), 33% of pneumonia (n = 44 of 133), and 55% of venous thromboembolism (n = 36 of 65) were postdischarge. Multivariable analyses showed age, congestive heart failure, admission from nursing facility, postoperative pneumonia, myocardial infarction, and renal failure were independently associated with postdischarge mortality, and peripheral arterial disease, female gender, previous cardiac surgery, age, smoking, and diabetes with postdischarge morbidity (P < .05 for all).

Patient characteristics associated with a higher risk for postdischarge adverse events after EVAR were identified. Whether improved predischarge surveillance and close postdischarge follow-up of identified high-risk patients will further improve 30-day outcomes after EVAR needs to be prospectively studied.