Long Term Outcomes and Durability of Fenestrated Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: A Meta-analysis of Time to Event Data

Abstract

Objective: Despite widespread use, long term outcomes for fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) are uncertain. This meta-analysis reports long term survival, freedom from re-intervention, target vessel patency, and one year sac regression after FEVAR.

Data sources: Systematic review and meta-analysis to pool time to event data according to PRISMA guidelines. The study was registered with the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42023401468).

Review methods: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched from 1992 - 2023; articles were independently screened by two authors. Publication of complete time to event data for any outcome of interest was an inclusion criterion. Raw Kaplan-Meier probabilities were directly extracted from published curves and pooled by random effects. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS I and certainty with GRADE.

Results: A total of 3 569 records were retrieved, 2 869 screened after duplicate removal, yielding 37 included studies (n = 4 371). The pooled mean age was 73.2 years (interquartile range [IQR] 72.2, 73.7) and 87.4% were male (95% confidence interval [CI] 85.8 - 88.9). Pooled Kaplan-Meier estimated probabilities of survival (n = 34 studies, n = 4 192 patients) at one, three, and five years were 91.6% (95% CI 90.2 - 92.9), 80.8% (95% CI 78.0 - 83.2), and 65.1% (95% CI 60.9 - 69.1). For freedom from re-intervention (n = 24, n = 3 211 patients) at one, three, and five years these were 90.2% (95% CI 87.3 - 92.7), 80.9% (95% CI 76.5 - 84.9), and 73.8% (95% CI 67.1 - 79.6). For target vessel patency (n = 13, n = 5805 target vessels) at one, three, and five years, these were 96.6% (95% CI 94.9 - 98.0), 94.5% (95% CI 91.7 - 96.7), and 93.1% (95% CI 89.3 - 96.0). Pooled estimate of sac regression (n = 8, n = 560) at one year was 40.2% (95% CI 28.9 - 52.7). Risk of bias was judged as moderate in 11 studies and low for the remaining 26.

Conclusion: There are moderate to low certainty data supporting reasonable long term outcome estimates following fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair. Beyond five years there is a lack of data in the literature.

Keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm; Complex endovascular aneurysm repair; Endovascular aneurysm repair; Endovascular procedures; Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair; Juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.