IMPROVED RESPIRATORY-FUNCTION AND ANALGESIA CONTROL AFTER ENDOVASCULAR AAA REPAIR

Purpose: Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has been proposed as a minimally invasive alternative to conventional surgery a nd may offer significant advantages in respiratory function and analge sic requirements due to the absence of an abdominal incision. Methods: Respiratory function and analgesic requirements were quantified in 22 age-matched patients undergoing aneurysm repair under general anesthe sia. Twelve patients underwent endovascular aneurysm repair, while 10 AAA patients had conventional surgery. One endovascular patient requir ed conversion to conventional repair. Results: The endovascular group required postoperative artificial ventilation for a shorter time (6 ve rsus 21 hours, p < 0.05) and had lower PCA (patient-controlled analges ia) morphine consumption (41 versus 133 mg, p < 0.05) than the convent ional group. The endovascular group also had significantly better forc ed expiratory volume and forced vital capacity at both 3 and 5 days wh en expressed as percentages of the preoperative values (p < 0.05). Con clusions: Endovascular AAA repair attenuates respiratory dysfunction a ssociated with conventional surgery and reduces perioperative analgesi a requirements.