Grey relational analysis of benefit of surgical management for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Grey relational analysis was used to compare the long-term outcomes of endovascular repair (EVAR) versus open repair for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Patients with AAA undergoing open repair (n = 133) or EVAR (n = 88) from July 1995 to January 2009 were studied retrospectively. Compared with EVAR, longer periods of postoperative intubation and hospital stay (P < 0.001) were required for open repair. The operation time was significantly longer in open surgery than in EVAR (P < 0.001). Patients in the open repair group required larger volumes of intraoperative blood transfusion than those in EVAR (P < 0.001), and they had more of a trend of cardiac failure after surgery than those in the EVAR group. The operative mortality was similar in both groups. On follow-up, the all-cause mortality and the rates of ischemic legs within 5 years had no significant differences between the 2 procedures (P > 0.05). The grey relational grades in EVAR and open repair were 0.673 and 0.936, respectively. Compared with open repair, patients with AAAs undergoing EVAR had fewer complications in the short term and had a similar all-cause mortality in the long term.