Background: The object was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of strategies for managing the aortic root and distal aorta in type A dissections.
Methods: From 1990 to 1999, 50 patients (32 men (64.07%); 18 women, (36.0%); mean age 57.4 +/- 11.1 years) underwent operation for ascending aortic dissection. Surgical strategies included aortic root replacement with a composite graft (21/50; 42.0%), valve replacement with supracoronary ascending aortic graft (3/50, 6%), and valve preservation or repair (26/50; 52.0%).
Results: Overall hospital mortality rate was 18.0%. Follow-up was completed for 47 patients (94.0%) and ranged from 1 month to 10.5 years (mean 28.8 months). Actuarial survival for patients discharged from the hospital was 84% at 1 year, 75% at 5 years, and 66% at 10 years. There was no significant difference between the various procedures regarding mortality, neurological complications, long-term survival, and proximal reoperations. The ascending aorta alone was replaced in 8 of 50 patients (16%), ascending and hemiarch in 30 of 50 patients (60%), and arch and proximal descending aorta in 12 of 50 patients (24%). Hospital mortality (11.5%, 20.0%, and 16.7%, respectively; p > 0.05) and 5- and 10-year survival (p > 0.05) were not statistically dependent on the extension of the resection distally. Residual distal dissection was not associated with a decrease in late survival. With regard to emergency surgery (36/50) there was no significant difference in hospital mortality (p > 0.05) and 5-year survival (p > 0.05) between those who had undergone coronary angiography (19/36; 52.8%) on the day of surgery with those who had not (17/36; 47.2%).
Conclusions: Preservation or repair of the aortic valve can be recommended in the majority of patients with type A dissection. Distal extension of the resection does not increase surgical risk. Residual distal dissection does not decrease late survival. Preoperative coronary angiography may not affect survival in patients undergoing emergency surgery.