Current Experience With Acute Type B Aortic Dissection: Validity of the Complication-Specific Approach in the Present...

Our group proposed in 1992 a "complication-specific approach" for the management of acute aortic dissection type B (TBAD), with uncomplicated cases being treated with medical therapy. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of this management in in-hospital and postdischarge survival.

Between 1999 and 2014, 123 consecutive acute TBAD patients were treated at our institution. We compared complicated (rupture/impending rupture, malperfusion, expansion) vs uncomplicated TBAD, as well as TBAD with a dissection flap vs intramural hematoma/penetrating aortic ulcer.

A total of 103 patients (84%) were strictly managed according to the complication-specific approach, with 93% in-hospital survival. Twenty deviated from complication-specific approach management (triaged to operation by complication-specific approach, but inoperable for a variety of reasons). Independent risk factors for a complicated course in the dissection flap subgroup (n = 89) were history of coronary artery disease (odds ratio. 3.139; p = 0.04) and maximum aortic diameter exceeding 5 cm (odds ratio, 4.586; p = 0.005). Uncomplicated patients were treated medically with antiimpulse therapy. Among the 103 patients treated with the complication-specific approach, long-term survival was 83%, 78%, 71% and 47% at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Between the uncomplicated and complicated groups, 8-year survival was 55% and 49%, respectively (log-rank p = 0.03). Uncomplicated patients showed comparable 6-year survival (log-rank p = 0.06) to matched normal population controls.

Patients managed with the complication-specific approach showed an overall satisfactory long-term survival over 10 years. No in-hospital deaths occurred in patients with uncomplicated, medically treated acute TBAD, with comparable long-term survival to a matched normal population. These good long-term results provide counterbalancing perspective when considering routine thoracic endovascular aortic repair for all TBAD patients.