Complications

The morbidity of endovascular repair was reduced compared to open repair.

14 patients developed an endoleak, most commonly type II where there is retrograde filling of the sac by patent aortic side branches (Table 5).

Table 5. Postoperative complications within 30 days of endovascular repair n=53. Answers may be multiple.
Type	Total
Type I endoleak	5
Type ll endoleak	8
Type lV endoleak	1
Limb occlusion	3
Returned to suite for further endovascular treatment	1
Other	2

One endovascular patient suffered a myocardial infarction compared to 7% (31/428) of patients who underwent an elective open repair. Infection was less common than with open repair as 9% (4/47) of patients had a chest infection after endovascular repair while 14% of elective open repair patients were reported to have had a chest infection. 4% (2/47) of patients had postoperative renal impairment compared to 10% of elective open repair patients. There were no complications reported for stroke, paraplegia or ischaemic bowel.