Fast‐track endovascular aortic repair: Interim report from the prospective LIFE registry

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of a fast‐track endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) protocol. BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in EVAR technology and techniques, considerable opportunity exists to further improve EVAR efficiency and outcomes. METHODS: Eligible patients underwent elective EVAR with the Ovation Prime stent graft. Successful completion of the fast‐track protocol required bilateral percutaneous access, avoidance of general anesthesia and intensive care unit admission, and next‐day discharge. Patients were followed through 1‐month post‐treatment. RESULTS: Between October 2014 and September 2015, 129 patients were enrolled in the study. Vascular access, stent graft delivery, and stent graft deployment were successful in all patients. The fast‐track EVAR protocol was successfully completed in 114 (88%) patients. Bilateral percutaneous access was achieved in 97% of cases. Comparing patients who completed fast‐track requirements to those who failed at least one component, procedure time was 86 vs. 122 min, use of general anesthesia was 0% vs. 20%, need for intensive care unit stay was 0% vs. 13%, hospital stay was 1.1 vs. 2.1 days, and postoperative groin pain severity (0–10 scale) was 1.2 vs. 4.0. No type I or III endoleaks, serious device‐related adverse events, AAA ruptures, surgical conversions, or AAA‐related secondary procedures were reported. One (0.9%) patient in the fast‐track group died from acute respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS: Initial results from the LIFE study are encouraging and suggest that a fast‐track protocol is feasible, safe, and may improve efficiency of healthcare resource allocation in select patients undergoing EVAR. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.