title: Operation for acute and chronic aortic dissection: recent outcome with regard to neurologic deficit and early death.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We reviewed our experience in the repair of acute and chronic aortic dissection with regard to early neurologic deficit and death.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 1991 and June 1996, we performed 206 operations on 195 patients for aortic dissection. Ascending or arch repair, or a combination (type A dissection) was performed on 92 of 206 patients (45%); 44 of 92 (48%) were acute dissection and 48 of 92 (52%) were chronic. Descending or thoracoabdominal repair (type B dissection) was performed on 114 of 206 patients (55%); 22 of 114 (19%) were acute and 92 of 114 (81%) were chronic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among type A cases, strokes occurred in 6 of 92 patients (7%) overall; 4 of 44 (9%) were acute cases and 2 of 48 (4%) were chronic (p < 0.34). Early deaths for type A were 11 of 92 (12%) overall; 9 of 44 (20%) acute and 2 of 48 (4%) chronic (p < 0.02). In type B cases, neurologic complications were 15 of 114 (13%) overall; 7 of 22 (32%) were acute cases and 8 of 92 (9%) were chronic (p < 0.004). Early deaths for type B were 12 of 114 (11%) overall; 3 of 22 (14%) acute and 9 of 92 (10%) chronic (p < 0.6). Preoperative hypotension was significant in acute type A patients, with strokes in 2 of 7 (29%) hypotensives compared with 2 of 37 (5%) normotensives (p < 0.05) and early death in 4 of 7 (57%) hypotensives versus 5 of 37 (14%) normotensives (p < 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Morbidity and mortality for repair of chronic dissection types A and B were acceptable. Preoperative hypotension in acute type A dissection was a major predisposing factor toward stroke (29% versus 5%, p < 0.05). Acute type B dissection had acceptable mortality (14%) but a high rate of neurologic complications (32%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Safi
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reardon
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Iliopoulos
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Letsou
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Espada
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome