Volume 103, Issue 6 pp. 982-994
REVIEW

Comparison between the outcomes of transfemoral access and transfemoral access with adjunct upper extremity access in patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair: A pilot systematic review and meta-analysis

Aman Goyal MBBS

Aman Goyal MBBS

Department of Internal Medicine, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India

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Laveeza Fatima MBBS

Laveeza Fatima MBBS

Department of Internal Medicine, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan

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Fiza Mushtaq MBBS

Fiza Mushtaq MBBS

Department of Internal Medicine, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan

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Muhammad Daoud Tariq MBBS

Muhammad Daoud Tariq MBBS

Department of Internal Medicine, Foundation University Medical College, Islamabad, Pakistan

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Aemen Kamran MBBS

Aemen Kamran MBBS

Department of Internal Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan

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Amir Humza Sohail MD, MSc

Amir Humza Sohail MD, MSc

Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

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Zainali Chunawala MD

Zainali Chunawala MD

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, USA

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Samia Aziz Sulaiman MD

Samia Aziz Sulaiman MD

Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

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Abhigan Babu Shrestha MBBS

Abhigan Babu Shrestha MBBS

M Abdur Rahim Medical College, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

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Abu Baker Sheikh MD

Abu Baker Sheikh MD

Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

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Agastya D. Belur MD

Corresponding Author

Agastya D. Belur MD

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Correspondence Agastya D. Belur, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Rudd Heart and Lung Bldg, Suite 600, 201 Abraham Flexner Way, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 08 April 2024

Abstract

Endovascular aortic repair is an emerging novel intervention for the management of abdominal aortic aneurysms. It is crucial to compare the effectiveness of different access sites, such as transfemoral access (TFA) and upper extremity access (UEA). An electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases. The primary endpoint was the incidence of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), while the secondary endpoints included technical success, access-site complications, mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), spinal cord ischemia, among others. Forest plots were constructed for the pooled analysis of data using the random-effects model in Review Manager, version 5.4. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Our findings in 9403 study participants (6228 in the TFA group and 3175 in the UEA group) indicate that TFA is associated with a lower risk of stroke/TIA [RR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.40–0.75; p = 0.0002], MI [RR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.38–0.69; p < 0.0001], spinal cord ischemia [RR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.32–0.53, p < 0.00001], and shortens fluoroscopy time [SMD: −0.62; 95% CI: −1.00 to −0.24; p = 0.001]. Moreover, TFA required less contrast agent [SMD: −0.33; 95% CI: −0.61 to −0.06; p = 0.02], contributing to its appeal. However, no significant differences emerged in technical success [p = 0.23], 30-day mortality [p = 0.48], ICU stay duration [p = 0.09], or overall hospital stay length [p = 0.22]. Patients with TFA had a lower risk of stroke, MI, and spinal cord ischemia, shorter fluoroscopy time, and lower use of contrast agents. Future large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm and strengthen these findings.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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