title: Classification of acute type A dissection: focus on clinical presentation and extent.
abstract: Recent advances in the management of acute Stanford type A dissection have highlighted the clinical importance of clinical presentation and extent of dissection. The Penn classification of type A clinical presentations is based on ischemic profiles that not only determine mortality but also influence management options. The extent of type A dissection as summarized by the DeBakey classification significantly determines the role of endovascular intervention in this important disease. We propose an integration of these three classifications of acute type A dissection as a framework for future advances in diagnosis, intervention and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic and Vascular Section, Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Dulles 680, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283, USA. yiandoc@hotmail.com
authors.forename: John G T
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Augoustides
authors.forename: Wilson Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: Nimesh D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pochettino
authors.forename: Albert T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Savino
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bavaria
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans