Treatment Outcomes for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection with Patent False Lumen in Patients over the Age of 80

OBJECTIVES:While reports which focus on the outcomes of conservative treatments for acute type A aortic dissection in patients over the age of 80 are worth considering, recently many studies have reported improved outcomes of surgical treatment. Accordingly, we analyzed the outcomes of surgical and conservative treatments for acute type A aortic dissection with patent false lumen in patients over the age of 80.METHODS:We retrospectively investigated 70 patients over 80 years in age out of 248 consecutive patients with acute type A aortic dissection between January, 2010, and May, 2015. Of the 70 patients, 44 underwent surgical treatments (ascending replacement in 33 and total arch replacement in 11) and 23 patients underwent conservative medical treatments.RESULTS:In the surgical treatment, the 30-day mortality rate was 14% (6/44) and the rate of morbidity was 34%. And 17 patients (39%) were discharged home without ambulatory assistance. The actuarial survival rates in the surgical treatment group were 83% and 60% at 1 and 3 years, respectively. The in-hospital death rate of conservative medical treatment was 43% (10/23). Only 26% of the patients having had conservative treatment were discharged home without ambulatory assistance. The actuarial survival rate in the conservative medical group was 8.7% at 1 year.CONCLUSION:Surgical outcomes of acute type A aortic dissection with patent false lumen were satisfactory in patients aged over 80 in this study by meticulously determining operative indications, depending on the background of each patient.