Short- and long-term outcomes in isolated penetrating aortic ulcer disease

The optimum management of isolated penetrating aortic ulceration (PAU), with no associated intramural hematoma or aortic dissection is not clear. We evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes in isolated PAU to better inform management strategies.

We conducted a retrospective review of 43 consecutive patients (mean age, 72.2 years; 26 men) with isolated PAU (excluding intramural hematoma/aortic dissection) managed at a single tertiary vascular unit between November 2007 and April 2019. Twenty-one percent had PAU of the arch, 62% of the thoracic aorta, and 17% of the abdominal aorta. Conservative and surgical groups were analyzed separately. Primary outcomes included mortality, PAU progression, and interventional complications.

Initially, 67% of patients (29/43) were managed conservatively; they had significantly smaller PAU neck widths (P = .04), PAU depths (P = .004), and lower rates of associated aneurysmal change (P = .004) compared with those initially requiring surgery. Four patients (4/29) initially managed conservatively eventually required surgical management at a mean time interval of 49.75 months (range, 9.03-104.33 months) primarily owing to aneurysmal degeneration. Initially, 33% of patients (14/43) underwent surgical management; 7 of the 14 procedures were urgent. Of the 18 patients, 17 eventually managed with surgical intervention had an endovascular repair; 2 of the 17 endovascular cases involved supra-aortic debranching, six used scalloped, fenestrated, or chimney stents. The overall long-term mortality was 30% (mean follow-up, 48 months; range, 0-136 months) with no significant difference between the conservatively and surgically managed groups (P = .98). No aortic-related deaths were documented during follow-up in those managed conservatively. There was no in-hospital mortality after surgical repair. Of these 18 patients, two required reintervention within 30 days for type I or III endoleaks. Among the 18 patients, seven died during follow-up (mean survival, 90.24 months; range, 66.48-113.88) with 1 of the 18 having a confirmed aortic-related death.

Isolated, asymptomatic, small PAUs may be safely managed conservatively with regular surveillance. Those with high-risk features or aneurysmal progression require complex strategies for successful treatment with acceptable long-term survival.