Important new recommendations are provided for the care of patients with an AAA, including suggestions to improve mutual decision-making between the treating physician and the patients and their families as well as a number of new strategies to enhance perioperative outcomes for patients undergoing elective and emergent repair. Areas of uncertainty are highlighted that would benefit from further investigation in addition to existing limitations in diagnostic tests, pharmacologic agents, intraoperative tools, and devices.

Patients with NF-I have a wide spectrum of vascular abnormalities, most notably aneurysms or stenoses of the aortic, renal, and mesenteric circulation. Operative treatment of symptomatic patients with vascular lesions or large aneurysms is safe, effective, and durable.

Infected aortic aneurysms have an aggressive presentation and a complicated early outcome. However, late outcome is surprisingly favorable, with no aneurysm-related deaths and a low graft-related complication rate, similar to standard aneurysm repair. In situ aortic grafting is a safe and durable option in most patients.

Operative mortality in patients with vascular complications of EDS-IV was not excessively high, but the incidence of postoperative bleeding complications and late graft-related problems was significant. Despite successful repair of vascular complications, survival was shortened because of secondary vascular or graft-related complications.

She participated very actively in the process of developing these guidelines, in particular the important chapters on chronic arterial and venous mesenteric ischaemia. Six days after the second meeting of the task force she died unexpectedly, to our great despair and loss. We honour her dedication and scientific integrity by completing these guidelines. Among many other commitments she was a very productive reviewer and an associate editor of this journal. You can read more about Paola's important contributions to science and to the vascular community in the April 2016 issue of the European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. 1

Saccular aneurysms (especially those with lobulated contour) with rapid expansion or development and adjacent mass, stranding, and/or fluid in an unusual location are highly suspicious for an infected aneurysm.

Large CBTs can be resected safely with or without preoperative embolization. Preoperative embolization may simplify the conduct of the operation and reduce blood loss but does not decrease rates of cranial nerve injury, although most are temporary.

This prospective study demonstrates that endovascular repair of juxtarenal AAAs with the Zenith fenestrated AAA stent graft is safe and effective. Mortality and morbidity are low in properly selected patients treated in centers with experience in these procedures.