Therapeutic effectiveness of tuberculous aneurysm and risk factors for mortality: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effectiveness of tuberculous aortic aneurysms (TBAAs) and the risk factors for mortality. METHODS: We reviewed all case reports of TBAAs treated with open surgery or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) from online database in 1996–2021. Only thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms were included. RESULTS: Eighty cases of open surgery and 42 cases of EVAR were included. The 2-year mortality and perioperative mortality rates of open surgery were 11.3% and 10.0%, respectively. Emergent open surgery had a significantly higher mortality (25.0%) than non-emergent open surgery (6.7%). In the EVAR group, 2-year mortality, perioperative mortality, and TBAA-related mortality were 16.7%, 4.8%, and 10.0%, respectively. Patients with typical tuberculosis (TB) symptoms before EVAR had a significantly higher TBAA-related mortality (35.0%) than patients with no typical TB symptoms before EVAR (0%). In the open surgery group, the rate of TB recurrence (2.7% vs 2.4%) and aneurysm recurrence (8.1% vs 7.3%) were quite close between preoperative anti-TB-treated and postoperative anti-TB-treated cases. However, in the EVAR group, TB recurrence (8.7% vs 0%) and aneurysm recurrence (12.5% vs 6.25%) were more common in postoperative anti-TB-treated cases. CONCLUSION: Open surgery was accompanied by higher perioperative mortality, whereas EVAR was followed with higher TBAA-related mortality. Emergent surgical choices of open surgery may be associated with high perioperative mortality. Typical TB symptoms before EVAR are a significant risk factor for mortality after EVAR. Early anti-TB treatment should be administered if EVAR is the surgical option. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11748-022-01811-9.