title: Aortic dissection in pregnancy: analysis of risk factors and outcome.
abstract: Aortic dissection during pregnancy is a life-threatening event. Recent studies have revealed similar histologic changes in the wall of the ascending aorta in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAVD). Based on a review of the literature, including the experience from two institutions, we looked at the patient's characteristics in patients with thoracic aortic dissection during pregnancy. We found that aortic root enlargement (> 4cm) or an increase of aortic root size during pregnancy in patients with BAVD, and Marfan syndrome is associated with a considerable risk for the occurrence of Type A dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Berne, Switzerland. franzimmer@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Franz F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Immer
authors.forename: Anne G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Bansi
authors.forename: Alexsandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Immer-Bansi
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: Kenton J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Zehr
authors.forename: Hartzell V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Schaff
authors.forename: Thierry P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Carrel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001015:Aortic Arch Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*