Affiliations: [a] Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, DRK Hospital Berlin Köpenick, Berlin, Germany
| [b] Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Krankenhaus Nordwest Frankfurt, Germany
| [c] Department of Cardiac and Transplant Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, Harefield, UK
| [d] Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Asklepios Hospital Bad Tölz, Germany
| [e] Department of Vascular, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Günay Kalender, MD, Department Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, DRK Kliniken Berlin Köpenick, Salvador Allende Strasse 2-8, 12559 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 30 3035 3357; Fax: +49 30 3035 3356; E-mail: guenay.kalender@drk-kliniken-berlin.de.
Abstract: Endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms (EVAR) has become an established treatment option currently applied in an increasing numbers of patients with aortic aneurysms. Advantages include reduced surgical trauma, procedural time, intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay, blood loss as well as morbidity and mortality. The optimal imaging modalities in EVAR follow-up as well as the appropriate intervals between these follow-ups remain subject of controversial discussion. Objective of this study was the evaluation of the realistic radiation exposure and risk estimate postop EVAR treatment. Of the follow-ups required according to the surveillance schedule during the first year post-EVAR, only 68.3% were actually implemented. Of those required from the second year onwards, an average of 70% was actually performed. During the observation period, each patient underwent a mean of 4.3 CTAs. The median ED calculated from all CTAs was 24. 5 mSv. The minimum and maximum cumulative EDs for the entire observation period were 55 mSv and 310 mSv, respectively.
