Abdominal aortic aneurysm: Postoperative 10-year follow-up with cost analysis

Between 1978 and 1987, a total of 770 patients suffering from an infrarenal aortic aneurysm were operated upon electively (71.6%) or on an emergency basis (28.4%); mortality in hospital was 6.2% and 40% respectively. In 96.2% of the patients we received information concerning status and the cause of death. Overall survival following elective surgery was 64.6% at 5 years and 41% at 10 years, mean survival being 95.1 months. Following emergency surgery the survival rate was 38.7% and 24.1% at 5 and 10 years, mean survival being 57.3 months. Age, coronary artery disease and hypertension had a negative impact on the long-term results. The costs were calculated based on the mean length of hospital stay of 16.4 days for elective and 19.1 days after emergency surgery.