The VIRTUE Registry of type B thoracic dissections--study design and early results

Endovascular procedures for repair of Type B aortic dissection have become increasingly common and are often considered to be first line therapy for acute complicated dissections. The long term durability of these repairs is largely undefined.

The Virtue Registry is a prospective, non-randomised, multi centre European Clinical Registry designed to inform on the clinical and morphological outcomes of 100 patients with Type B aortic dissection treated with the Medtronic Valiant thoracic stent graft. Patients with acute, sub-acute and chronic Type B dissections will be prospectively followed for three years. Clinical outcomes and aortic morphology will be defined.

Fifty patients had an acute dissection, 24 a sub-acute dissection and 26 a chronic lesion. The 30-day mortality for the acute, sub-acute and chronic lesions was 8%, 0% and 0%. The in hospital composite outcome (mortality, stroke or paraplegia) for the three groups was 16%, 0% and 3.8% respectively. The effect of left subclavian artery (LSCA) revascularisation was defined with the composite endpoint of patients with a covered, non-revascularised LSCA being 20% as compared to 5.8% in the covered, revascularised group.

The early outcomes for the treatment of Type B aortic dissection are reported in the Virtue Registry. Longer term follow-up is planned to report on clinical and morphological outcomes up to 36 months post-procedure.