Abstract 19030: Echocardiographic and Computational Assessment of Cardiovascular Remodeling Following Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair

Introduction: The compliance of the aorta serves an important function to reduce the impedance and workload for cardiac ejection. Stent grafts currently used for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are orders of magnitude stiffer compared to the native aorta, yet the impact of this mismatch on cardiovascular function is unclear. Methods: Patients without valvular or pulmonary disease undergoing TEVAR for thoracic aortic aneurysms (2013 - 2015) were selected. Data from computed tomography and echocardiography before TEVAR and at one year follow-up were analyzed. The impact of TEVAR on cardiac function was computationally assessed using patient-specific fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulations. Results: Six patients (all female) were included, mean age was 81±4 years. Two patients were on antihypertensive drugs prior to TEVAR; this number increased to six after TEVAR. FSI computations revealed an increase in pulse pressure and decrease in cardiac output immediately following TEVAR if the effect...