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Objective Elderly patients are often turned down from receiving treatment for descending thoracic aortic diseases (DTADs) because of the uncertain benefits, especially in acute settings. This study investigated the impact of old age and timing of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) on outcomes of DTAD in patients older than 75 years of age. Methods Patients from a prospective TEVAR database were dichotomized by age (75 and 80 years of age). Older and young patients were compared in three timing scenarios: (1) elective procedures, (2) any emergency (within 15 days from onset), and (3) acute ruptures (any emergency subgroup). Primary outcome was perioperative mortality assessed at 30 and 90 days. Results Between 2003 and 2015, 141 consecutive TEVARs (71.6% men) were performed. Fifty-seven patients (40.4%) were older than 75 years of age; 28 were octogenarians. Eighty-three TEVARs were performed electively and 58 emergently. Among overall emergencies, 42 TEVARs were for acute ruptures. In the elective scenario, the 30-day mortality rate was 5.0% vs 0 (odds ratio [OR], 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.1; P = .23), and 90-day mortality was 7.5% vs 0, for patients older than 75 years of age vs those who were younger than 75, respectively ( P = .11). No octogenarian died. In the emergency scenario, 30-day mortality was 41.2% vs 9.8%, for patients older than 75 years of age vs those who were younger than 75, respectively (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 1.6-26.6; P = .01) with unchanged rates at 90 days. The mortality rate was 50% for octogenarians. In the acute rupture scenario, 30-day mortality was 40% vs 11.1% (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.10-25.99; P = .05) for patients older than 75 years of age vs those younger than 75 years of age and 46% vs 10% (OR, 7.5; 95% CI, 1.47-37.46; P = .016) for octogenarians vs younger patients. Rates remained unchanged at 90 days. Patients older than age 75 survived for a mean of 53.98 ± 7.7 months after TEVAR. Conclusions In the elderly patient population with DTAD, mortality risks from TEVAR are strongly related to timing and age. When compared to younger patients, those older than 75 years of age have three to five times the risk of mortality after urgent or emergent TEVAR. However, older patients should still be considered for emergent life-saving treatment, given that the majority survives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes of patients treated with endovascular repair (ER) with the use of fenestrated and branched stent grafts or open surgery (OS) for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) in a current series of patients. Methods All TAAA patients undergoing repair at three centers between January 2007 and December 2014 were included in a prospective database. Patients were stratified according to treatment by ER or OS, and outcomes were compared using propensity score matching (1:1). Covariates included age, sex, aneurysm extent, hypertension, coronary disease, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, and renal function. The primary end points were mortality and paraplegia. Secondary end points included any spinal cord ischemia (SCI), renal and respiratory insufficiency, and a composite of these complications or death at 30 days. All-cause survival and freedom from reintervention were compared in the two groups. Results Of 341 patients, 84 (25%) underwent ER and 257 underwent OS (75%). After propensity score matching (65 patients per group), no significant differences were observed in rates of 30-day mortality (7.7% in ER and 6.2% in OS; P = 1) and paraplegia (9.2% and 10.8%; P = 1). Any SCI, renal insufficiency, and respiratory insufficiency were 12.3% and 20% ( P = .34), 9.2% and 12.3% ( P = .78), and 0% and 12.3% ( P = .006) in ER and OS, respectively. The incidence of the composite end point was significantly lower in ER patients (18.5% in ER vs 36.0% in OS; P =.03). According to Kaplan-Meier estimates, all-cause survival at 24 months was 82.8% in ER and 84.9% in OS, with rates unchanged at 42 months ( P = .9). Rates of freedom from reintervention were 91.0% vs 89.7% at 24 months and 80.0% vs 79.9% at 42 months in ER vs OS, respectively ( P = .3). Conclusions A propensity score analysis in patients with TAAA undergoing repair suggests an early benefit from ER compared with OS with regard to the composite end point because of reduced 30-day respiratory complications. No significant differences were found in SCI and renal insufficiency at 30 days and in survival and reintervention rates at midterm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]