Factors Influencing Compliance to Follow-Up After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

Abstract

Objectives Regular follow-up after endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm is necessary to detect endoleak and/or migration of the stentgraft. However, absence or incomplete compliance to follow-up is common in this patient population. In this study we will analyse the frequency of non-compliance to post-EVAR follow-up and explore the underlying reasons. Methods All patients undergoing EVAR for infrarenal aortic aneurysm between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Absence of compliance to FU was defined as not showing up at the out-patient clinic; incomplete FU was defined as a surveillance gap of >18 months. Results and conclusion Non-compliance to follow-up was 35.9% (175 patients). In the multivariate analysis the patients who came with a ruptured aneurysm and patients who needed secondary therapy in the first 30 days more often did not comply with the FU protocol ( P = .03 and P < .01). Other studies have confirmed the low attendance to follow-up after EVAR.