What is the survival rate of an aortic dissection?
Short-term and long-term survival rates after acute type A aortic dissection (TA-AAD) are unknown. Previous studies have reported survival rates between 52% and 94% at 1 year and between 45% and 88% at 5 years.
How can you detect an aortic dissection?
Typical signs and symptoms include:
- Sudden severe chest or upper back pain, often described as a tearing or ripping sensation, that spreads to the neck or down the back.
- Sudden severe stomach pain.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Shortness of breath.
Which type of aortic dissection is more common?
Type A aortic dissection occurs in the ascending aorta, which is the curved part of the aorta that extends upward from the heart. This tear may extend along the upper part of the aorta and down toward the abdomen. Type A is the most common type of aortic dissection and is more likely to be acute than chronic.
What’s the difference between an aortic aneurysm and an aortic dissection?
An aortic aneurysm occurs when a weak spot in the wall of the aorta begins to bulge, as shown in the image on the left. An aneurysm can occur anywhere in the aorta. Having an aortic aneurysm increases the risk of a tear in the aortic lining (aortic dissection), as shown in the image on the right.
How do you get an aortic tear?
It’s believed that most aortic dissections are caused by an underlying vulnerability that may be inherited. In others, the stress to the aortic wall from constant high blood pressure can weaken the aorta wall in susceptible people, resulting in a tear and dissection.
What are the odds of surviving aortic dissection with surgery?
Acute type A aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening emergency that carries a high mortality rate without surgical treatment [1,2]. Surgical mortality has been estimated to range from 9% to 30%, and survival rates of 51–82% at 5 years have been reported [3–9].
What is a dissection of the aorta?
Aortic dissection describes the condition when a separation has occurred in aortic wall intima, causing blood flow into a new false channel composed of the inner and outer layers of the media. Dissection most commonly occurs with a discrete intimal tear, but can occur without one.
What is the mortality and morbidity associated with aortic dissection?
The anatomical classification is based on the involvement of ascending aorta (type A according to Stanford) or not (type B). 1 Historical data for untreated type A aortic dissection show a mortality rate of 1%–2% per hour within the first 24 hours, resulting in a mortality rate of up to 50%–74% during the acute phase.
What are the treatment options for aortic dissection?
All patients need lifelong antihypertensive therapy and surveillance imaging Aortic dissection is caused by an intimal and medial tear in the aorta with propagation of a false lumen within the aortic media.
What is a dissection of the descending aorta (Stanford type B)?
Dissections of the descending aorta (Stanford type B) are managed medically to control the patient’s heart rate and blood pressure; surgery in this group is reserved for those with complications such as rupture, visceral or extremity ischaemia, or persistent or recurrent pain.