Type A aortic dissection with arch entry tear: Surgical experience in 104 patients over a 12-year period

To evaluate the efficacy of the frozen elephant trunk (FET) and total arch replacement (TAR) technique (FET + TAR) in the management of type A aortic dissection (TAAD) with arch entry tear.

Clinical outcomes were analyzed for 104 TAAD patients with arch entry tear undergoing FET + TAR at 4.7 ± 3.5 days from symptom onset and compared with 728 TAAD patients with entry tears in elsewhere. The mean patient age was 49.3 ± 9.3 years, compared with 45.6 ± 10.8 years in other TAAD patients (P < .001). There were 84 men (80.8%). Hypertension was seen in 84.6% (88/104).

Operative mortality was 8.6% (9/104). Spinal cord injury occurred in 3 cases (2.9%), stroke in 2 (1.9%), renal failure in 4 (3.8%) and limb ischemia in 2 (1.9%). Follow-up was 100% (95/95) at mean 5.6 ± 2.6 years (range 1.3-11.6). Late death occurred in 2 cases (1.9%). Survival and freedom from late adverse events were 89.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81.3%-93.9%) and 85.0% (95% CI, 76.3%-90.8%) at 8 years, respectively. Both the stented and unstented distal aortic segments showed significant trends of false lumen shrinkage and true lumen expansion over time (P < .001). Of the 65 CT scans at mean 4.6 ± 2.9 years postoperatively, the false lumen was completely obliterated in 63. Risk factors for arch entry tear were hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 2.091; 95% CI, 1.186-3.687; P = .011) and age (OR, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.002-1.048; P = .032).

TAAD with arch entry tear was treated safely and durably by FET + TAR. Although patients with arch entry tear were somewhat older than other patients, operative mortality was not substantially higher despite their older age and arch location of entry tear. These results argue favorably for the use of the FET + TAR technique in the management of TAAD patients with arch entry tears.