From the Guidelines
Follow-up for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) after Vascular Surgery
The recommended follow-up for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) after vascular surgery is yearly surveillance for patients who have undergone TEVAR or EVAR, with imaging recommended at 1,6, and 12 months and then yearly 1.
Key Recommendations:
- After TEVAR or EVAR: Surveillance is recommended after 1,6, and 12 months and then yearly, with shorter intervals proposed in the event of abnormal findings requiring closer surveillance 1.
- After Open Repair of AAA: First follow-up imaging is recommended within 1 post-operative year, and every 5 years thereafter if findings are stable 1.
- Imaging Modalities: If neither endoleak nor AAA sac enlargement is documented during the first year after EVAR, then colour DUS, with or without contrast agents, should be considered for annual post-operative surveillance, with DUS/CEUS recommended every year, repeating CCT or CMR every 5 years 1.
Additional Considerations:
- For patients who have undergone TEVAR, follow-up imaging is recommended at 1 and 12 months post-operatively, then yearly until the fifth post-operative year if no abnormalities are documented 1.
- In low-risk patients, from 1 year post-operatively after EVAR, repeating DUS/CEUS every 2 years should be considered 1.
- If any abnormality during DUS/CEUS is found, confirmation should be considered using additional CCT or CMR (based on potential artefacts) 1.
General Management:
While managing AAA, it's also crucial to address risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and advise patients on lifestyle modifications like quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. Regular follow-up appointments with a vascular surgeon are essential to monitor the aneurysm's growth and adjust the treatment plan accordingly.
From the Research
Follow-up for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) after Vascular Surgery
There are no research papers provided that directly address the follow-up for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) after vascular surgery. The studies provided focus on various other medical topics, including:
- The use of intermittent pneumatic compression to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis in stroke patients 2
- The efficacy and safety of angiotensin II for the treatment of high-output shock 3
- The treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia with avatrombopag, a novel thrombopoietin receptor agonist 4
- The evaluation of segmentectomy for ground-glass-dominant lung cancer with a tumour diameter of 3 cm or less 5
- The comparison of percutaneous short fixation and conservative treatment for burst fractures of the thoraco-lumbar junction and lumbar spine 6
Key Findings
- None of the studies provided directly relate to the follow-up for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) after vascular surgery.
- The studies focus on various other medical topics and do not provide relevant information for this specific question.
Relevant Information
- There is no relevant information provided in the studies to answer the question about follow-up for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) after vascular surgery.