ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSMS - SURVIVAL ANALYSIS OF 434 PATIENTS

Abstract

Patients (434) who underwent surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms in 5 surgical departments in Norway were studied with respect to survival patterns and survival probabilities. Of these, 200 patients (median age 63 yr) had elective surgery, 173 (median age 69 yr) had ruptured aneurysms and 61 (median age 67 yr) had impending rupture (i.e., emergency operations were performed, but no rupture was found). The hospital mortality rates in the groups were 3.5, 59 and 24.6%, respectively. The general probabilities of survival of these groups were compared with those of a demographically similar population (standard population). Patients who had elective surgery had slightly, but significantly, lower survival probabilities than did the standard population, while the patients who underwent emergency surgery and who survived the 1st postoperative mo. showed no increased risk of dying as compared with the standard population. For the elective surgery group, age had a significant effect on survival, while the period of operation did not. In the group with ruptured aneurysms, both the age of the patient and the period of operation had significant effects on survival, while no such effects were found for patients with impending rupture. The survival probabilities for patients surviving the operation were generally good, with a high 5-yr survival rate. The mortality rate for patients with ruptured aneurysms decreased significantly from period 1 (surgery performed before 1976) to period 2 (surgery performed in 1976 or later). The survival probabilities for patients of advanced age were relatively good, even from patients who had emergency surgery.