Early- and long-term outcomes after surgery for acute type a aortic dissection in patients aged 45 years and younger.

Background: Acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) is rare in young people. The early- and long-term outcomes after surgery for AAAD in patients aged ≤45 years was investigated. Methods and Results: Subjects were 355 patients who had undergone emergency surgery for AAAD. The patients were grouped as those aged ≤45 years (n=30; mean age, 38.3 years; younger group) and those aged >45 years (n=325; mean age, 65.3 years; older group). Clinical and prognostic variables were compared between the groups. Male sex, Marfan syndrome, and severe aortic regurgitation were more prevalent in the younger group. In-hospital mortality (16.7% vs. 8.6%, P=0.15) and postoperative patency of the distal aorta (90.8% vs. 59.1%, P 45mm (P<0.001), Marfan syndrome (P<0.01), and age ≤45 years (P=0.045) were shown to be independent risk factors for reoperation. Conclusions: Early- and long-term surgical outcomes are not better for patients ≤45 years, and the risk for reoperation is high in this group. Careful follow up is important in young patients with AAAD. (Circ J 2011; 75: 2135-2143)