Surgery in three-channeled aortic dissection. A 31-patient review.
OBJECTIVE
Three-channeled aortic dissection with 2 adjacent false lumens present is rare.


METHODS
The 31 patients whose dissections we treated surgically accounted for 7.3% of the 426 patients with aortic dissection treated surgically between 1978 and May 1999. The 17 men and 14 women ranged in age from 24 to 77 years (mean: 45 +/- 12 years). Marfan syndrome was present in 18. Pain was observed at different times in 20. computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance image proved useful in preoperative diagnosis. The morphology of the 1st and 2nd false lumens was Stanford type A + B in 13, type B + B in 15, type A + A in 2, and localized abdominal dissection in 1.


RESULTS
Descending aortic replacement was done in 18 patients, thoracoabdominal aortic replacement in 7, ascending aortic replacement in 3, and others in 3. Five patients died in hospital and later during follow-up for 1-181 months (mean, 57 +/- 55 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Pain recurring in patients with aortic dissection should alert the physician to the possibility of 3-channeled dissection and the necessity of surgery. The incidence of such dissection is high in patients with Marfan syndrome.
Ando
M
M
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
Okita
Y
Y
Tagusari
O
O
Kitamura
S
S
Matsuo
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000601:surgery*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed