[Acute dissection of the aorta in 1986. Proposal for a new anatomopathological classification]

Acute dissection of the aorta is a rare disease which, when left untreated, has a disastrous prognosis. Two aetiological factors are essential: acquired or congenital fragility of the aortic elastic tissue, and arterial hypertension. The condition must be diagnosed as early as possible to avoid a fatal outcome: it is a surgical emergency. The clinical diagnosis rests on a history of migrating pain and on the presence of signs of ischaemia in a vascular territory. It is confirmed by complementary investigations, chiefly angiography. Acute dissection of the ascending aorta is treated by surgery: the ascending segment is resected, the distal cylindres are recoupled to close the portal of entry, and the aortic regurgitation is treated by valvuloplasty or aortic valve replacement. The introduction of the GRF biological glue has considerably improved the per-operative prognosis and lowered the hospital mortality to 10%. Long-term post-operative follow-up of the patient is crucial, since iterative dissection and formation of aneurysms are not exceptional, especially in patients with Marfan's syndrome.