Objectives: DeBakey Type I aortic dissections are frequently treated by an ascending aortic tube graft or hemiarch replacement with the residual dissection remaining untreated. We investigated the outcomes of branched thoracic endovascular repair for post-dissection aneurysms of the aortic arch.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre evaluation of 20 consecutive patients with a false-lumen aneurysm after a DeBakey I aortic dissection treated with branched thoracic endovascular repair. The indication for endovascular repair was agreed on in an interdisciplinary case conference. Study end points were technical success, 30-day mortality rate, complications and late complications and reinterventions.
Results: Between 2012 and 2016, 20 patients (14 men, age 65 ± 9 years) were treated for false-lumen aneurysm formation after a DeBakey Type I aortic dissection. All patients had undergone open ascending aortic repair either isolated (n = 16) or with partial arch repair (n = 4). Technical success was achieved in 19 of 20 cases. The 30-day mortality rate and incidence of stroke were each 5% (1/20). Simultaneous procedures to exclude false-lumen perfusion included implantation of a Knickerbocker graft in 3 (15%) patients and a candy-plug graft in 7 (35%) patients. Early postoperative computed tomography angiography revealed persistent false-lumen perfusion in 10 cases that required secondary interventions in 6 cases. During 17 ± 14 months of mean follow-up, there was 1 aortic-related death and 2 deaths of non-aortic reasons. The estimated overall survival was 89 ± 7% and 75 ± 15% at 12 and 36 months, respectively.
Conclusions: Treatment of residual aortic arch dissections with branched thoracic endovascular repair appears feasible and safe with few deaths and low stroke rates. A high rate of secondary procedures is required to achieve thoracic false-lumen occlusion.