Endovascular Aortic Repair Is a Viable Strategy for Treatment of Primary Infected Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abstract

Infected abdominal aortic aneurysm (IAAA) is rare, and information is limited whether endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) can be considered a permanent treatment or is a temporary fix preceding open surgery. This retrospective study reviewed the short- and long-term outcomes of open surgery, emergent EVAR, and elective EVAR in the treatment of primary IAAA. Between January 2008 and January 2017, 16 men and 3 women (aged 60.7y; range 30-76y) with IAAA were treated with emergent open repair, emergent EVAR, or elective EVAR, after adjunctive antibiotic therapy. Demographics, aneurysm anatomy, clinical presentations, laboratory tests, details of aneurysm repair, morbidity, mortality, and postoperative outcomes of these patients were reviewed. Positive microbial cultures were obtained in 12 patients. Six and 3 patients underwent emergent EVAR and open repair, respectively. Ten patients who completed the full antibiotic regimen received elective EVAR. The mean follow-up duration was 28.8mo (range, 1.5-96mo). The 30-day mortality rates of the emergent EVAR, open repair, and elective EVAR groups were 16.7% (1/6), 0%, and 0%, respectively; the 1-year survival rates were 16.7% (1/6), 100% (1/1), and 88.9% (8/9). Reduction in the blood erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) during the first week of antibiotic treatment was inversely related to aneurysm rupture and correlated with patients' post-EVAR survival time. Elective EVAR for IAAA had acceptable short- and long-term outcomes. Patients' response to initial antibiotic treatment may help facilitate management. Less than 0.130 reduction in ESR during the first week of antibiotic treatment may indicate risk of aneurysm rupture.