Short summary

TEVAR (Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair) is the preferred treatment of diseases in the distal part of the aortic arch and descending aorta, such as aneurysms, dissections and traumatically caused lesions. As it is a relatively new treatment modality, long-term follow up data are lacking. Since 1999 we have registred treated patients in regards of clinical data, details regarding surgical approach and the technical success as well as short and long-term outcome.

Rationale

In attempts of making surgical repair of aortic diseases less invasive TEVAR has evolved. Despite the lack of randomized controlled studies there are increasing evidence that TAVAR has substantial advantages over open surgery in terms of early mortality and morbidity. Consequently TEVAR is now the preferred treatment of the diseases affecting the distal part of the aortic arch and the descending aorta as aortic type B dissection, thoracic aneurysms or traumatic lesions. TEVAR is a relatively simple treatment of often very complex aortic diseases or severely traumatized patients, and the outcome is therefore not infrequently characterized as being poor with a high degree of mortality and morbidity. This fact especially applying to procedures performed acutely due to either rupture, acute dissections or trauma. Furthermore all patients treated with TEVAR must be kept under surveillance, as future migration of the endoprothesis or of an endoleak with the risk of a secondary procedure is not infrequently seen. TEVAR is a relatively new type of treatment, with the first case being reported in 1994. Consequently long-term follow-up data is lacking. At the department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, the first experience with TEVAR was in 1999. Since, every case has been prospectively registered in regard of comorbidity, treatment and follow-up data. At present time just about 200 patients have been treated and registered in the database.

Aim:

The primary aim of this study is to create data of patients treated with TEVAR in order to evaluate outcome, both short- and long-term.Secondary aim is to determine clinical characterics of the treated patients.

Description of the cohort

All patients treated with TEVAR at OUH are registered in the database.

Data and biological material

In the TEVAR database each treated patient has consecutively and prospectively been registered in terms of sex, age, risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia and hypercholesterolemia and the specifications of the type of disease and the exact procedure performed. Furthermore data of technical success, immediate and long-term complications such as for example renal impairment, stroke or other neurological complications are registrered. Also data from CT scans performed routinely as surveillance in regards of possible endoleaks are noted, and also whether or not secondary procedures are necessary. Furthermore date and cause of death, if any, is registred. Blood samples are collected when possible.