Reliable prediction of the preoperative risk is of crucial importance for patients undergoing vascular operations. The assessment of the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) is an easy clinical evaluation of the functional capacity of an individual. A MET is defined as the resting metabolic rate, that is the amount of the consumed oxygen at rest. According to the MET concept a patient would be considered as "fit for surgery" when the stairs of two flights can be climbed and the housework can be fully managed by oneself.

Hypothesis: Patients with a functional capacity over 4 MET (fit for surgery) have less perioperative complications with the focus on cardiac pathology than patients with less than 4 MET during aortic operations.

Patients and Method: Retrospective analysis of a single center unit of 296 patients undergoing open or endovascular aortic repair.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Data of all patients after open and endovascular aortic repair of the descending aorta from May 2009 till March 2016

Exclusion Criteria:

• Data of all patients with isolated operations on the ascending aorta or aortic arch

296 patients who received an aortic repair with open or endovascular technique at Triemli Hospital from May 2009 till March 2016