title: Outcomes of surgical repairs for thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysms after cardiovascular surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm is a life-threatening complication after cardiovascular surgery. We reviewed the short- and long-term outcomes following the surgical repair of thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 20 patients (mean age, 63.3 ± 10.8 years) who underwent surgical repair for a thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm after cardiovascular surgery over the past 17 years. The mean follow-up period was 5.7 ± 4.2 years and the rate of follow-up was 90.0%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients were asymptomatic, and the remaining had preoperative symptoms (rupture, n = 4; dyspnea, n = 4; hemoptysis, n = 2; hoarseness, n = 1; chest pain, n = 1; anemia, n = 1; and jugular venous distension, n = 1). The interval between previous and present surgery was 14.9 ± 8.0 years. Although aortic injury with massive bleeding occurred during re-sternotomy, there were no hospital deaths, and all patients were discharged from our hospital. Late survival rates at 5 years and 10 years were 83.3% ± 8.8% and 72.9% ± 12.4%, respectively. There were five late deaths, and no aorta-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outcomes of surgical repair of thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysms are satisfactory. However, even in asymptomatic patients, lifelong patient follow-up is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*