title: Outcomes of aortic coarctation surgical treatment in adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to describe our experience in aortic coarctation surgery in adult patients by assessing the immediate and mid-term outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1987 to March 2000, 50 consecutive adult patients underwent surgery for correction of aortic coarctation, through left lateral thoracotomy. Of these, forty two (84%) patients presented high blood pressure, with mean systolic arterial pressure of 170.56 mmHg (125-220 mmHg). The mean of pressure gradient in the coarctation area was 51.4 mmHg (18-123 mmHg). Other associated surgical cardiovascular diseases were not treated in the same operative act, except in two cases of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Three different techniques were used: aortic coarctation resection with end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 20 (40%) patients, coarctation enlargement with bovine pericardial patch was performed in 22 (44%) patients and synthetic tube interposition was performed in eight (16%) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Operative morbidity was low; there was one case of bleeding who required reoperation. The most common immediate postoperative event was high blood pressure (98%), but it was easily controlled by intravenous drugs. There was no hospital death. Mean residual pressure gradient was 18.7 (8-33 mmHg). Patients were discharged in 9.5 days (5-30). Postoperative follow-up mean was 46.8 months (1-145 months) in 45 (91.8%) patients. Forty one (91.1%) of these followed-up patients had normal blood pressure, whereas 75.6% of them without drugs intake. 93.3% of these followed-up patients were asymptomatic. Four of them required further surgical operation, one needed a pacemaker implant, other two patients needed a cardiac valve replacement and one had endocarditis. There was one related death due to sepsis secondary to endocarditis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment of aortic coarctation, even in adult patients, is an efficient therapeutic choice, regardless of the applied surgical technique, with low morbidity and mortality. It reduces efficiently the arterial pressure levels in both immediate and mid-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. mbjatene@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Marcelo Biscegli
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jatene
authors.forename: Décio Cavalet Soares
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Abuchaim
authors.forename: José de Lima
authors.initials: Jde L
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Arlindo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riso
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanamati
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Antonio Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Miguel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barbero-Marcial
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult