[Surgical treatment of type I and II dissecting aortic aneurysms]

Over a period of 15 years, 89 patients (70 male, 19 female) aged 15-76 (mean 48) underwent surgery for acute (64) or chronic (25) dissecting aneurysm type I or II. Early mortality was 18% (16 patients); 8 patients died late (2.8% per year); 8 patients had to be reoperated because of late complications on the aorta. Although very often it is not possible to remove or replace the entire diseased aorta, the goal of the operative procedure is to reduce the risk of rupture by replacing the entry site with a dacron graft. Late reoperation has to be considered if dissection progresses or a new aneurysm develops.