Fast-track endovascular aneurysm repair: rationale and design of the multicenter Least Invasive Fast-Track EVAR (LIFE) registry.

BACKGROUND: Considerable technological advancements have recently been made with endovascular stent grafts for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, there is opportunity to further improve the efficiency of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), which may yield better patient outcomes and lower perioperative treatment costs.

METHODS/DESIGN: The Least Invasive Fast-Track EVAR (LIFE) registry was developed to determine the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of the Ovation® Prime stent graft when used under least invasive conditions using a defined fast-track protocol. The LIFE study is a prospective multicenter post-market registry of the ultra-low profile (14F) Ovation Prime stent graft when used in the treatment of patients with AAA using a fast-track protocol, consisting of appropriate patient selection, bilateral percutaneous access, avoidance of general anesthesia and intensive care unit admission, and next-day discharge. The primary endpoint of the study is the proportion of subjects that experience a major adverse event within 30 days of the initial procedure. Primary endpoint data will be compared to a target performance goal. A total of 250 subjects will be enrolled at up to 40 sites in the United States. The first subject in this study was enrolled in October 2014 and enrollment is anticipated to continue through mid-2016.

DISCUSSION: The recent development of ultra low-profile stent grafts enables EVAR using least invasive methods. A structured fast-track EVAR protocol may yield clinical and cost benefits versus standard EVAR.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02224794.