Olivia Grip1, Anders Wanhainen2, Martin Björck2. 1. Department of Surgical Sciences, Vascular Surgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: olivia.grip@surgsci.uu.se. 2. Department of Surgical Sciences, Vascular Surgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim was to study patients with acute aortic occlusion (AAO), a rare and life threatening event, in a population based cohort and the outcome of surgical treatment. METHODS: The Swedish nationwide vascular database (Swedvasc) was used to identify cases, and the population registry to study long term survival. Variables associated with outcome were tested with the chi-square test and analysis of variance. RESULTS: During the 21 year study period (1994-2014), 693 cases of surgical treatment for AAO were included, with a yearly incidence of 3.6 per million inhabitants. Mean ± SD age was 69.9 ± 11.2 years, 352 patients (50.8%) were women, and mean ± SD length of follow up was 5.2 ± 5.5 years. Most patients presented with bilateral acute limb ischaemia (596 patients, 86.0%). The aetiology of AAO was native artery thrombosis in 458 patients (66.1%), saddle embolus in 152 (21.9%), and occluded graft/stent/stent grafts in 83 (12.0%). The proportion of occluded grafts/stent/stent grafts increased during the study period (n = 14 [6.7%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 45 [17.4%] in 2008-2014; p < .001) with a simultaneous reduction of arterial thrombosis (n = 149 [71.6%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 158 [61.2%] in 2008-2014; p <. 001). Major amputation above the ankle was performed in 39 patients (8.5%), and 140 patients died within 30 days of surgery (20.2%). Thirty day mortality rate was lower after occluded grafts/stents/stent grafts (eight patients [9.6%]) and higher after saddle embolus (47 patients [30.9%]); p < .001). There was a reduction in overall 30 day mortality over time (n = 53 [25.5%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 40 [15.5%] in 2008-2014; p = .007). Long term survival revealed significant differences between the subgroups, although the difference occurred early after the event (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality after surgical treatment of AAO is improving over time, yet a significant mortality rate was observed throughout the study period. The proportion of AAO secondary to occluded grafts/stents/stent grafts increased over time.
OBJECTIVES: The aim was to study patients with acute aortic occlusion (AAO), a rare and life threatening event, in a population based cohort and the outcome of surgical treatment. METHODS: The Swedish nationwide vascular database (Swedvasc) was used to identify cases, and the population registry to study long term survival. Variables associated with outcome were tested with the chi-square test and analysis of variance. RESULTS: During the 21 year study period (1994-2014), 693 cases of surgical treatment for AAO were included, with a yearly incidence of 3.6 per million inhabitants. Mean ± SD age was 69.9 ± 11.2 years, 352 patients (50.8%) were women, and mean ± SD length of follow up was 5.2 ± 5.5 years. Most patients presented with bilateral acute limb ischaemia (596 patients, 86.0%). The aetiology of AAO was native artery thrombosis in 458 patients (66.1%), saddle embolus in 152 (21.9%), and occluded graft/stent/stent grafts in 83 (12.0%). The proportion of occluded grafts/stent/stent grafts increased during the study period (n = 14 [6.7%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 45 [17.4%] in 2008-2014; p < .001) with a simultaneous reduction of arterial thrombosis (n = 149 [71.6%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 158 [61.2%] in 2008-2014; p <. 001). Major amputation above the ankle was performed in 39 patients (8.5%), and 140 patients died within 30 days of surgery (20.2%). Thirty day mortality rate was lower after occluded grafts/stents/stent grafts (eight patients [9.6%]) and higher after saddle embolus (47 patients [30.9%]); p < .001). There was a reduction in overall 30 day mortality over time (n = 53 [25.5%] in 1994-2000 vs. n = 40 [15.5%] in 2008-2014; p = .007). Long term survival revealed significant differences between the subgroups, although the difference occurred early after the event (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality after surgical treatment of AAO is improving over time, yet a significant mortality rate was observed throughout the study period. The proportion of AAO secondary to occluded grafts/stents/stent grafts increased over time.