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(Circulation. 2005;112:I-249 – I-252.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Surgery for Aortic and Peripheral Vascular Disease

Large Area of the False Lumen Favors Secondary Dilatation of the Aorta After Acute Type A Aortic Dissection

Franz F. Immer, MD; Eva Krähenbühl, MD; Urs Hagen, MD; Mario Stalder, MD; Pascal A. Berdat, MD; Friedrich S. Eckstein, MD; Jürg Schmidli, MD; Thierry P. Carrel, MD

From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, Berne, Switzerland.

Correspondence to Franz F. Immer, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, 3010 Berne, Switzerland. E-mail franzimmer{at}yahoo.de

Background— Since 1994 patients with acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) are followed-up in our outpatient clinic. Early diagnosis of secondary dilatation of the diseased aorta is crucial to reduce late mortality in these patients. Aim of the present study is to asses the impact of a large volume in the false lumen of the diseased downstream aorta on secondary dilatation.

Methods and Results— 134 patients of 264 patients who underwent surgery for AADA (between January 1994 and June 2003) are followed-up at our outpatient clinic since 1994. 84 patients (62.7%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Areas of the true and the false lumens of the aorta were analyzed and a logistic regression was calculated at 5 levels of the aorta for each patient. Patients were divided in 3 groups: group 1 included 34 patients (40.5%) without progression, group 2 had 34 patients (40.5%) with slight progression, and group 3 had 16 patients (19.0%) with important progression, requiring surgery in all patients. In 87.5% of the patients the area of the original lumen was <0% in group 3, compared with 11.8% in group 2 and 8.8% in group 1 in relation to the total area of the aorta 6 months after surgery (P<0.001).

Conclusion— A large false lumen, with an area of the true lumen <30% 6 months after surgery, is the strongest predictor for secondary dilatation of the diseased downstream aorta.

Key Words: aorta • dissection • follow-up studies • risk factors • type A