Results of the surgery of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms: evolution of the acute phase reactants and the periaortic inflammatory reaction

Objectives: To show the results of selective surgical treatment of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAA), and to analyse the evolution of periaortic inflammation (PAI) and acute phase reactants (APR) after surgery. Patients and method: A retrospective analysis was made of the IAAA electively operated on between 1990 and 2010 by means of open surgery. The median follow-up period was 71 months and an analysis was made of the PAI and APR after surgery. Results: A total 38 patients underwent treatment, of which 12 (31.5%) were symptomatic. Hydronephrosis was evident in 7 cases (18.4%). The implantation of a pre-operative double-J catheter was necessary in 5 cases (13.1%). One patient (2.6%) died in the immediate postoperative period, and 3 were re-operated on due to bleeding (7.8%). During the follow-up period the hydronephrosis improved in 5 patients (71%), with a survival rate at 12, 36 and 72 months of 92%, 85% and 81%, respectively. With regard to the APR, a significant reduction was produced both in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P=. 01) and in the C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=. 01) after surgery. Likewise, the PAI was significantly reduced during the follow-up period, mainly from the ninth month following the surgery (P=. 02). Conclusions: Selective surgery of IAAA offers good results in the short and long term, associated with a decrease in the APR and PAI, the latter mainly from the ninth month of the post-operative period. (C) 2011 SEACV. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.