Post-Operative Follow Up of Traumatic Blunt Aortic Injury Patients Who Undergo TEVAR: 8-Year Experience and a System Analysis of a Level I Trauma Center

The purpose of this study was to assess follow up in traumatic blunt aortic injury patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) at a Level I Trauma Center In Dayton, Ohio. Previous research has shown that trauma patients, as a whole, have poor follow up in this population. Systems and patient level factors contribute to poor follow up In this population. Because TEVAR In traumatic aortic injuries is now becoming more common than open repair, we wanted to analyze follow up rates In this growing subset of trauma patients. We hypothesized that traumatic blunt aortic injury patients are also lost to follow up in the post-operative period. Our primary objective was to explore if these patients are being followed appropriately and to identify any systems or patient level factors contribute to the failure to follow up. Our results suggest that long distance and unemployment were the two main reasons for non-compliance along with a few system level factors, such as not ordering follow up CT, no appointment made with trauma clinic, and incorrect contact information in the records.