Table 6.

Vascular access site and access-related complications

Major vascular complications

Any thoracic aortic dissection

Access site or access-related vascular injury (dissection, stenosis, perforation, rupture, arterio-venous fistula, pseudoaneurysm, haematoma, irreversible nerve injury, or compartment syndrome) leading to either death, need for significant blood transfusions (≥4 units), unplanned percutaneous or surgical intervention, or irreversible end-organ damage (e.g. hypogastric artery occlusion causing visceral ischaemia or spinal artery injury causing neurological impairment)

Distal embolization (non-cerebral) from a vascular source requiring surgery or resulting in amputation or irreversible end-organ damage

Minor vascular complications

Access site or access-related vascular injury (dissection, stenosis, perforation, rupture, arterio-venous fistula or pseudoaneuysms requiring compression or thrombin injection therapy, or haematomas requiring transfusion of ≥2 but <4 units) not requiring unplanned percutaneous or surgical intervention and not resulting in irreversible end-organ damage

Distal embolization treated with embolectomy and/or thrombectomy and not resulting in amputation or irreversible end-organ damage

Failure of percutaneous access site closure resulting in interventional (e.g. stent-graft) or surgical correction and not associated with death, need for significant blood transfusions (≥4 units), or irreversible end-organ damage