Development of Postoperative Pneumonia After Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair is Associated with an Increased Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay

Objective Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has increasingly replaced open aortic surgery for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). One of the key advantages of EVAR is the reduced length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and hospital stay. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with increased ICU length of stay (LOS) after EVAR. Methods The American College of Surgeons (ACS-NSQIP) database for the year 2013 was used. All patients who underwent EVAR were divided into two groups: ICU LOS <1 day vs. ≥1 day. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were compared between these two groups utilizing bivariate logistic regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was then used to identify factors that were independently associated with ICU LOS ≥1 day after EVAR. Results A total of 2,468 patients (18.7% females, 81.3% males) were identified. Group 1 (ICU LOS <1 day) = 1,535 patients and Group 2 (ICU LOS ≥1 day) = 933 patients. Multivariable analysis identified the following factors to be associated with ICU LOS ≥1 day: ruptured AAA (OR 3.88, CI 1.97-7.65), the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score of 4-5 (OR 2.82, CI 1.50-5.31), operative time ≥180 minutes (OR 2.10, CI 1.51-2.93), bilateral groin cut down (OR 1.37, CI 1.10-1.71), juxta-renal AAA (OR 1.65, CI 1.16-2.35), renal artery stent (OR 2.13, CI 1.42-3.21), aortic stent (OR 2.39, CI 1.60-3.55), emergency surgery (OR 2.56, CI 1.94-3.38), need for blood transfusion (OR 3.11, CI 2.08-4.65) and postoperative pneumonia (OR 7.04, CI 1.95-25.45). Conclusion Variables identified above can be used to predict the cohort of EVAR patients which will likely require ICU for ≥1 day. Development of postoperative pneumonia is associated with a 7.04 times increase in ICU LOS ≥1 day.