[Anesthesia, intensive care for emergency surgery of the thoracic aorta. A retrospective study over 10 years]

Fifty eight patients underwent emergency thoracic aortic surgery over a nine year period (Nov 80 Nov 89). Two pathologies may be opposed with regard to etiology, circumstances and patients. Traumatic aortic ruptures (18): the most common location of the tear was at the isthmus of aorta (18). They occurred in a violent crash and often affected young patients. Early treatment gave a good prognosis, outcome depending on other lesions. Others (40) were descending aortic aneurismal fissure, ascending aortic dissection and compound type B dissection (ischemic form or breaking point). These affected an older population with an important cardio-vascular risk. This high risk population combined with an open chest surgery with or without extracorporeal circulation aggravated the prognosis.