Analysis of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Males

Current guidelines recommend repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) when ≥5.5 cm. This study sought to evaluate the incidence of male patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for AAAs of various diameters (small <4 cm; intermediate 4-5.4 cm; standard ≥5.5 cm). We analyzed predictors of mortality, hypothesizing that smaller AAAs (<5.5 cm) have no differences in associated risk of mortality compared to standard AAAs (≥5.5 cm).

The 2011-2017 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Procedure-Targeted Vascular database was queried for male patients undergoing elective EVAR. Patients were stratified by aneurysm diameter. A multivariable logistic regression analysis for clinical outcomes, adjusting for age, clinical characteristics, and comorbidities, was performed.

A total of 8037 male patients underwent EVAR with 3926 (48.9%) performed for AAAs <5.5 cm. There was no difference in mortality, readmission, major complications, myocardial infarction, stroke, or ischemic complications among the 3 groups (P > 0.05). In AAAs <5.5 cm, predictors of mortality included prior abdominal surgery (odds ratio [OR], 5.77; confidence interval [CI], 1.38-24.13; P = 0.016), weight loss (OR, 43.4; CI, 3.78-498.7; P = 0.002), disseminated cancer (OR, 17.9; CI, 1.30-245.97; P = 0.031), and diabetes (OR, 6.09; CI, 1.52-24.36; P = 0.011).

Nearly 50% of male patients undergoing elective EVAR were treated for AAAs <5.5 cm. There was no difference in associated risk of mortality for smaller AAAs compared to standard AAAs. The strongest predictors of mortality for patients with smaller AAAs were prior abdominal surgery, weight loss, disseminated cancer, and diabetes.