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Raffaele Pulli, Walter Dorigo, Leonidas Azas, Stefano Matticari, Aaron Fargion, Carlo PratesiDepartment of Vascular Surgery, University of Florence, Florence, ItalyAim: To analyze the results of a follow-up program after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) mainly based on duplex ultrasound (DUS) examinations.Materials and methods: The postoperative surveillance program changed over the time. In recent years (2007-2012) we are used to performing a DUS and an angio-CT scan within one month after EVAR, a DUS at 6 and 12 months and every 6 months thereafter (Group 2, 498 interventions). Data were compared with our historical series (2000-2006; Group 1, 345 interventions.) Perioperative results were recorded. The long-term results were analysed by Kaplan-Meier curves.Results: The rates of perioperative mortality were 1.1% and 1.2% respectively (P=0.9). The cumulative rates of perioperative complications were 16% and 6.5%, respectively (P=0.001). The rate of reinterventions at 60 months was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (29.1% and 20.1% respectively, P=0.03, log rank 4.6). Also the 5-year rate of endoleak was significantly greater in group 2 than group 1 (43.3% and 34.5% respectively, P |
