Morphologic characteristics and endovascular management of acute type B dissection patients with superior mesenteric...

Despite its association with static mesenteric malperfusion, the morphologic characteristics and optimal management of acute type B aortic dissection (ABAD) with superior mesenteric artery (SMA) involvement are poorly understood. We studied the associated risk factors and reported the outcomes of endovascular treatment.

From May 2016 to May 2018, we examined 212 consecutive patients with ABAD in our center. Those with SMA involvement (SMAI) were included in the present study and divided into those with and without mesenteric malperfusion (MMP) according to the clinical findings. After thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with or without SMA revascularization, we compared the clinical data, imaging results, and outcomes for those with and without MMP.

Computed tomography angiography confirmed 44 cases of SMAI: 12 (27.3%) with MMP and 32 (72.7%) without MMP. The patients with MMP had presented more frequently with lower extremity malperfusion (33.3% vs 3.1%; P = .023) than had those without MMP, with an odds ratio of 14.15 (P = .047). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with a low true lumen (TL)/false lumen (FL) diameter ratio of the SMA (TL/FL-SMA <1) had a greater risk of developing MMP than those with a high TL/FL-SMA ratio of >1 (odds ratio, 8.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-58.26; P = .029). SMA TL thrombosis was a significant predictor of the requirement for additional SMA revascularization after TEVAR among patients with MMP (P = .045). During a mean 10-month follow-up period, complete FL thrombosis in the SMA was seen in 11 patients (25%; 33.3% with MMP vs 21.9% without MMP; P = .43). The overall mortality rate was 6.82% (16.7% in the MMP group and 3.1% in the non-MMP group; P = .09).

In the present study, limb ischemia and the TL/FL-SMA ratio were two independent predictors for the development of MMP in patients with ABAD and SMAI. We found that TEVAR can be safely performed for these patients, and SMA TL thrombosis predicted for the need for SMA revascularization.