Baseline oxygen delivery is associated with an increased risk of severe postoperative complications after elective open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Aim. Oxyhemodynamic parameters have been shown to have a relevant impact on the immediate postoperative outcome after major surgery, but it is not known their specific impact on the outcome after elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Methods. One-hundred and forty-one patients underwent elective open repair of infrarenal AAA and hemodynamic parameters were monitored perioperatively. Results. One patient (0.7%) died postoperatively, 23 (16.3%) experienced a myocardial ischemic event and 9 of them (6.4%) had a myocardial infarction. Baseline oxygen delivery was not predictive of such myocardial ischemic events. Thirty-three patients (23.4%) suffered severe postoperative complications. The median baseline oxygen delivery was 429.5 mL/min/m 2 among patients who had severe postoperative complications, whereas it was 505.5 mL/min/m 2 , among those who did not have severe complications (p=0.03). However, this parameter did not retain its significance at multivariate analysis. When only the preoperative variables were included in the logistic regression model, the Glasgow Aneurysm Score (P=0.004, Oddsratio 1.94, 95% C.I. 1.24-3.05) was the only predictor of severe postoperative complications. The Glasgow Aneurysm Score was significantly correlated with baseline oxygen delivery (P=-0.256, P=0.003). Conclusions. Baseline oxygen delivery is associated with an increased risk of severe postoperative complications after elective open repair of AAA. The value of preoperative optimization of oxygen delivery should be evaluated in this patient population.