Normothermic iliac perfusion improves early outcomes after thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with normothermic iliac perfusion. METHODS One hundred and ninety patients who underwent aortic replacement for the Crawford type II thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm between January 2005 and June 2017 were assigned to 2 groups: normothermic iliac perfusion (group A, n=75) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (group B, n=115). We selected 58 pairs of patients for propensity score matching. We analysed early operative death, a composite of complications and mid-term survival. RESULTS After propensity score matching, no early operative death occurred in group A (0.0%), and group B had 4 cases of early operative death (6.9%), with a statistically significant difference (P=0.047). The composite of complications was reported in 11 patients in group A (21.0%) and in 21 patients in group B (36.2%) (P=0.038). Age >50 years [odds ratio (OR) 6.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.32-16.36; P=0.020], deep hypothermia (OR 12.13, 95% CI 1.64-23.13; P=0.003) and chronic renal insufficiency (OR 8.21, 95% CI 2.34-43.33; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for early operative death. The 3-year, 5-year and 7-year survival rates were 98.3%, 98.3% and 86.9% in group A and 86.9%, 86.9% and 86.9% in group B, respectively (P=0.471). The 7-year cumulative incidence function rates for reintervention were 0.026% in group A and 0.048% in group B (P=0.625). CONCLUSIONS Normothermic iliac perfusion provides a viable alternative for thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, which reduced early operative death and composited complications.