[Clinical experiences and long-term results after surgical treatment of type A thoracic aortic aneurysm]

For aortic aneurysms type A operative treatment is the method of choice. During the past 15 years 128 patients with this diagnosis have been operated on. Early mortality was 22%, 77% of all dissections were emergencies. Main causes of death were multiorgan failure. Up to 117 months 8 patients died late in part due to additional ruptures. 17% of the survivors required reoperation up to 154 months. The probability of survival after 10 years is 0.78, in the group with dissections only 0.4. Therefore close follow-up of this patient group is necessary in order to recognize progression of the disease and induce elective operative treatment.