This study states that Upper extremity and neck access is commonly used for complex endovascular aortic repairs. We sought to compare perioperative stroke and other complications of (1) arm/neck (AN) and femoral or iliac access versus femoral/iliac (FI) access alone, (2) right- versus left-sided AN, and (3) specific arm versus neck access sites. Patients entered in the thoracic endovascular aortic repair/complex endovascular aortic repair registry in the Vascular Quality Initiative from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed. Patients with a missing access variable and aortic arch proximal landing zone were excluded. The primary outcome was a perioperative in-hospital stroke. Secondary outcomes were other postoperative complications and 1-year survival. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for survival analysis. Upper extremity and neck access for complex aortic repairs have a higher risk of stroke compared with femoral and iliac access alone. Right-sided access does not have a higher stroke rate than left-sided access. Carotid access has a higher stroke rate than the axillary, arm, and multiple arm/neck access sites.
Reference link-www.jvascsurg.org/article/S0741-5214(20)30289-5/fulltext
