Right anterolateral thoracotomy with partial sternotomy for chronic type B aortic dissection with right aortic arch and Kommerell's diverticulum.

Chronic type B aortic dissection with the right aortic arch was rare. We present the case of a 59-year-old man with a right aortic arch and chronic type B aortic dissection, with a maximum size of 80 mm. Graft replacement was successfully performed through right anterolateral thoracotomy with partial sternotomy through the fourth intercostal space. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. He had no paralysis and was extubated on postoperative day 2 and discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 15. Anterolateral thoracotomy with partial sternotomy could be a suitable approach for right-sided aortic aneurysms.

Tracheo-innominate artery fistula with continuous bleeding successfully treated through the suprasternal approach: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) is a rare but fatal complication occurring after tracheotomy. Brachiocephalic trunk transection, one of the surgical treatments for TIF, is mostly associated with a full or partial median sternotomy. We describe a case of TIF with continuous bleeding, which was successfully treated with brachiocephalic trunk transection through a collar incision without the need for median sternotomy. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1. An 18-year-old man was referred to our hospital with bleeding from a tracheal stoma, which had ceased prior to admission. TIF was suspected after examination. Innominate artery transection was performed through a collar incision. TIF was not revealed when we cut the innominate artery anterior wall open; therefore, we opted for preventive surgical intervention. The post-operative course was uneventful, and the patient was asymptomatic at the 3-year follow-up. Case 2. A 14-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with bleeding from a tracheal stoma, and TIF was suspected after examination. There was persistent bleeding when the cuff of the tracheotomy tube was deflated. Brachiocephalic trunk transection was performed through a collar incision using balloon occlusion. The post-operative course was uneventful, and rebleeding has not occurred 2 years later. CONCLUSIONS: Brachiocephalic trunk transection without any median sternotomy may offer the benefits of post-operative infection prevention. In patients with suspected continuous bleeding, using a balloon catheter may be a safe and effective method of treatment.

Coil embolization of intercostal arteries accessed by surgical exposure for type II endoleak after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Many patients with type II endoleak after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are closely observed without secondary intervention. Herein, we report a new technique of coil embolization for type II endoleak from intercostal arteries after TEVAR for ruptured acute type B aortic dissection. A hybrid procedure of exposing intercostal arteries via subcostal incision in the prone position and transcatheter technique enables embolization of intercostal arteries at their origin from the aorta. This technique could avoid lung injury and be applicable in multiple intercostal arteries. This technique may be a useful secondary intervention for type II endoleak after TEVAR caused by intercostal arteries.

Impact of Isolated Cerebral Perfusion Technique for Aortic Arch Aneurysm Repair in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: In aortic surgery, a severely atherosclerotic aorta is a known risk factor for perioperative stroke. The authors adopted a novel procedure of selective cerebral perfusion, named isolated cerebral perfusion (ICP), for the prevention of stroke during aortic arch operations. METHODS: Between January 2010 and June 2016, 48 patients (mean age, 80 ± 3 years) at Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan underwent total aortic arch replacement, which included nine emergency cases with rupture. ICP was routinely performed for extracorporeal circulation during total arch replacement. The ICP procedure included the following steps: First, 9-mm Dacron grafts were anastomosed to the bilateral axillary arteries for systemic perfusion. Next, the left common carotid artery (LCCA) was clamped just before starting systemic perfusion. Dissection of the LCCA and insertion of a balloon-tipped cannula into the LCCA were performed. Extracorporeal circulation through the bilateral axillary arteries and selective cerebral perfusion to the LCCA were simultaneously started. Finally, at a bladder temperature of 25°C, clamping of the brachiocephalic and left subclavian arteries was performed. RESULTS: Preoperative evaluation by enhanced computed tomography confirmed that 62.2% of patients had severely atherosclerotic aortas and 37.8% had shaggy aortas. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 2.1%, whereas that for elective cases was 0%. Neurologic deficits developed in 3 patients (6.3%), 1 patient (2.6%) after an elective procedure. The 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 85.3% and 69.5% overall and 87.0% and 70.4% in elective cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ICP during total aortic arch replacement presents an acceptable procedure for elderly patients with severely atherosclerotic aortas.

Treatment of coronary malperfusion in type A acute aortic dissection.

Coronary malperfusion is one of the most dreadful complications of acute aortic dissection because it causes catastrophic acute myocardial infarction in patients who are already severely ill. Our strategy was as follows. After the administration of heparin, emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was urgently performed at the same time as starting to prepare the operating room. A stent was then placed to cover the full length of dissected coronary artery. Patients whose cardiac function improved after successful coronary artery reperfusion were transferred to the operating room to undergo central repair surgery. If the cardiac function did not recover even after coronary reperfusion, and the patient required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, we considered the best supportive care without performing central repair surgery. In patients with left coronary malperfusion, we believe that preoperative PCI must be performed immediately. Preoperative PCI might delay central repair surgery and potentially increase the risk of catastrophic cardiac tamponade. However, the benefit of PCI in preserving cardiac function exceeds the risk of cardiac tamponade. The indications of PCI before central repair in patients with right coronary malperfusion should be considered after assessing each patient's condition, including the presence or absence of cardiac tamponade and right ventricular infarction, left ventricular function, the immediate availability of cardiologists or cardiac surgeons, and the speed of preparing the operating room.

Early reperfusion strategy improves the outcomes of surgery for type A acute aortic dissection with malperfusion.

OBJECTIVE: The control of malperfusion is the key to improving the outcomes of surgery for type A acute aortic dissection. We revised our treatment strategy to reperfuse each ischemic organ before central repair. METHODS: Our current early reperfusion strategy consists of percutaneous coronary artery intervention for coronary malperfusion, direct surgical fenestration for carotid artery occlusion, active perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery for visceral malperfusion, and external shunting from the brachial artery to the femoral artery for lower limb ischemia. Central repair is performed without delay after reperfusion therapy, but if irreversible organ damage is recognized, further aggressive treatment is discontinued. RESULTS: Among 438 patients who underwent initial treatment for type A acute aortic dissection, malperfusion in one or more organs was diagnosed in 108 patients (24%). We applied an early reperfusion strategy in 33 patients, (coronary, 14 patients; carotid, 4; visceral, 7; lower extremity, 8). Central repair was then performed in 28 patients. One patient (3.6%) died of pneumonia; 27 patients overcame the ischemic organ damage and survived. Among the 108 patients with malperfusion, 10 patients (9.3%) were treated medically without early reperfusion and central repair. During the same period, mortality from central repair procedures in patients with malperfusion who had not received early reperfusion therapy was 12 of 65 (18%), and the mortality of patients without malperfusion was 9 of 262 (3.4%). Malperfusion was a serious risk factor for hospital death, but the mortality rate of the patients with an early reperfusion strategy was significantly (P < .01) lower than the patients without early reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Our strategy might improve the outcomes of surgery for type A acute aortic dissection with malperfusion. This strategy enables us to avoid unproductive central repair procedures in irreversibly damaged patients.

[Treatment Strategy for Complicated Acute Type B Aortic Dissection in the Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair Era].

Our treatment strategy for acute type B aortic dissection (ABAD) included complicated type is as follows. Indications of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for ABAD are rupture and organ ischemia, and TEVAR has been the 1st line central repair therapy since January 2009 in our institution. At the time of TEVAR for ruptured communicating type ABAD, we usually seal the proximal entry tear and cover the existing range of hematoma at descending aorta. Procedures for ABAD with malperfusion should be changed according to the patient's condition such as branch vessel obstructions either dynamic type or static type. We select TEVAR for ABAD with malperfusion in order to prevent late aortic events as well as treat the dynamic malperfusion. For complicated ABAD patients with poor condition and hemodynamic instability, TEVAR achieving central repair rapidly and less-invasively is considered an advantageous procedure. We usually pay attention how to use TEVAR and how to combine with other therapies for complicated ABAD treatment.

Impact of preoperative dual antiplatelet therapy on bleeding complications in patients with acute coronary syndromes who undergo urgent coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: A 5- to 7-day washout period before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is recommended for patients who have recently received a thienopyridine derivative; however, data supporting this guideline recommendation are lacking in Japanese patients. METHODS: Urgent isolated CABG was performed in 130 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) (101 men; mean age, 69 years). Urgent CABG was defined as operation performed within 5 days after coronary angiography. All patients continued to receive aspirin 100mg/day. The subjects were retrospectively divided into 2 groups: 30 patients with preoperative thienopyridine (clopidogrel in 15 patients, ticlopidine in 15) exposure within 5 days [dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) group] and 100 patients without exposure [single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) group]. RESULTS: Although the DAPT group had a higher proportion of patients who received perioperative platelet transfusions than the SAPT group (50% vs. 18%, p<0.001), intraoperative bleeding (median, 1100ml; interquartile range, 620-1440 vs. 920ml; 500-1100) and total drain output within 48h after surgery (577±262 vs. 543±277ml) were similar. CABG-related major bleeding, which was defined as type 4 or 5 bleeding according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definitions, occurred in a significantly higher proportion of patients in the DAPT group than in the SAPT group (20% vs. 3%, p=0.005). This difference in major bleeding was driven mainly by the higher rate of transfusion of ≥5U red blood cells within a 48-h period in the DAPT group (13% vs. 1%, p=0.01). There was no significant difference in the 30-day composite endpoint including death, myocardial (re)infarction, ischemic stroke, and refractory angina between the DAPT group and SAPT group (17% vs. 19%). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DAPT increases the risk of CABG-related major bleeding in Japanese patients with ACS undergoing urgent CABG.

Pitfalls for the "Sandwich technique" via a right ventricular incision to repair post-infarction ventricular septal defects.

BACKGROUND: We have reported "sandwich technique," via a right ventricular incision, to treat a post-infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD). This technique involves the placement of patches on both the left and right sides of the septum, pinching the VSD sealed with surgical adhesive between the two patches. In this study, we analyzed factors influencing 1-year mortality to determine the pitfalls in our procedure. METHODS: We evaluated 24 consecutive patients with post-infarction VSD who underwent the "sandwich technique" via a right ventricular incision. One-year survival and major residual leak were used as the criteria for the analysis of survival and technical success, respectively. In protocol 1, clinical variables were evaluated as predictors of one-year mortality. In protocol 2, surgical techniques were evaluated as predictors of major residual leak, which was found to be related to one-year mortality in protocol 1. RESULTS: In protocol 1, the one-year mortality was higher in patients with major residual leak (75 %, 3/4) than in those without (15 %, 3/20) (p = 0.035). In protocol 2, the patients with major residual leak had smaller patches than those without (41.9 ± 3.8 vs. 47.8 ± 4.8 mm, p = 0.031) and a smaller size difference between the patches and the VSD (22.5 ± 6.5 vs. 30.0 ± 5.7 mm, p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: For the "sandwich technique" via a right ventricular approach to treat post-infarction VSD, the choice of patch size according to VSD size is an important variable for reducing major residual leak.

Evaluation and Influence of Brachiocephalic Branch Re-entry in Patients With Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

BACKGROUND: Stanford type A acute aortic dissection (A-AAD) extends to the brachiocephalic branches in some patients. After ascending aortic replacement, a remaining re-entry tear in the distal brachiocephalic branches may act as an entry and result in a patent false lumen in the aortic arch. However, the effect of brachiocephalic branch re-entry concomitant with A-AAD remains unknown.Methods and Results:Eighty-five patients with A-AAD who underwent ascending aortic replacement in which both preoperative and postoperative multiple-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans could be evaluated were retrospectively studied. The presence of a patent false lumen in at least one of the brachiocephalic branches on preoperative MDCT was defined as brachiocephalic branch re-entry, and 41 patients (48%) had this. Postoperatively, 47 of 85 (55%) patients had a patent false lumen in the aortic arch. False lumen remained patent after operation in 34 out of the 41 (83%) patients with brachiocephalic branch re-entry, as compared to that in 13 of the 44 (30%) patients without such re-entry (P<0.001). Brachiocephalic branch re-entry was a significant risk factor for a late increase in the aortic arch diameter greater than 10 mm (P=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Brachiocephalic branch re-entry in patients with A-AAD is related to a patent false lumen in the aortic arch early after ascending aortic replacement and is a risk factor for late aortic arch enlargement.

Pathophysiology and Surgical Treatment of Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

Objectives: We report the pathophysiology and treatment results of type A acute aortic dissection from our 20-year experience. METHODS: We studied 673 patients with type A acute aortic dissection who underwent initial treatment from 1994 through July 2014. We divided these patients into two groups. The former group comprised 448 patients from 1994 through 2008, and the latter group comprised 225 patients from 2009 onward, when the current strategy of initial treatment and surgical technique including the early organ reperfusion therapies were established. Results: Women were significantly often presented than men in patients over 60 years of age. Thrombosed-type dissection accounted for more than half in patients over 70 years, and significantly often complicated pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade than patent type. Malperfusion occurred in 26% of patients. Central repair operations were performed in 579 patients. In-hospital mortality for all patients was 15%, and for the patients who underwent central repair operations was 10%. Former period of operation, malperfusion, and preoperative cardiopulmonary arrest were significant risk factor of in-hospital death. Preoperative left main trunk (LMT) stents were placed in eight patients and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) intervention was performed in five, they were effective to improve the outcome. From 2009 onward, in-hospital mortality was 5.0% and there was no significant risk factor. Conclusion: Surgical results of type A acute aortic dissection were dramatically improved in the past 20 years. Early reperfusion strategy for the patients with malperfusion improved the outcomes. (This article is a translation of Jpn J Vasc Surg 2015; 24: 127-134.).

Heparin-Induced-Thrombocytopenia Causing Massive Aortic Thrombosis after Ascending Aortic Replacement for Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

A 77-year-old woman underwent emergency ascending aortic replacement for type A acute aortic dissection. Fifteen days after the operation, she had motor and sensory disturbances in the lower limbs. Computed tomography revealed multiple aortic thrombi and disrupted blood flow in the right external iliac and left common iliac arteries. She underwent an emergency thrombectomy for acute limb ischemia. Because heparin-induced-thrombocytopenia (HIT) was suspected to have caused the multiple aortic thrombi, we postoperatively changed the anticoagulant therapy from heparin to argatroban. Seventeen days after the first operation, gastrointestinal bleeding developed, and the patient died of mesenteric ischemia caused by HIT. Arterial embolization caused by HIT after cardiovascular surgery is a rare, but fatal event. To avoid fatal complications, early diagnosis and early treatment are essential. Use of a scoring system would probably facilitate early diagnosis.

[Emergency Surgical Treatment of Stanford Type A Acute Aortic Dissection].

Our emergency surgical strategy for patients with Stanford type A acute aortic dissection is as follows. 1) Emergency surgery is conducted for patients with communicating aortic dissection. In addition, Emergency surgery is mandatory for patients within 24 hours after the onset of non-communicating aortic dissection. 2) Ascending aorta replacement (including hemi-arch replacement) is performed in case of the intimal tear site is in the ascending aorta or in the descending aorta and the site is not identified. Total arch replacement is performed in case of the site is in the aortic arch. 3) Early organ reperfusion is preceded to the central repair operation for patients with complicated malperfusion. 4) After dissecting sufficiently the adventitial site of aortic root, transect the aortic dissection wall at 5 mm above the sinotubular junction so as not to leave false lumen cavity as much as possible. Our efforts adding revision to the surgical strategy and technique have improved the outcome of the treatment for Stanford type A acute aortic dissection.

"Pouch Technique" Makes Proximal Anastomosis of Free Internal Thoracic Artery Graft to Ascending Aorta Easy and Safe in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

PURPOSE: The proximal anastomosis of free right internal thoracic artery to ascending aorta is technically difficult when the caliber is not enough. METHODS: We incise the proximal stump of the graft longitudinally for 10 mm. One side of start point of longitudinal incision is sewn to the end point of incision by 7-0 polypropylene. The folded sideline (5 mm length) is then closed with a running suture, then formation of pouch like anastomotic end is accomplished. RESULTS: We used this technique in consecutive 34 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery including revascularization to circumflex arteries. Postoperative angiography revealed 97% patency. It does not need another graft material like saphenous vein or radial artery, and possible not only in on pump surgery but also in off pump. CONCLUSION: This new "Pouch technique" will make it easy to use right internal thoracic artery as a free graft in coronary artery bypass surgery.

"Sandwich Technique" via a Right Ventricle Incision to Repair Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Defects.

BACKGROUND: Residual shunting and mortality are problems associated with the current surgical repair techniques for postinfarction ventricular septal defects (VSD). We developed the "sandwich technique" via a right ventricle incision and assessed the surgical outcome of 13 years of experience with this technique. METHODS: Between June 2001 and March 2013, 25 consecutive patients with postinfarction VSD underwent surgical repair using this technique. This technique includes the following: Application of direct ultrasonography to the right ventricular (RV) wall enables the surgeon to visualize the lesion, perform an appropriate incision into the RV, and perform a trabecular resection. One patch is placed on the left ventricular (LV) side and the other on the RV side of the VSD. The VSD is sealed with gelatin-resorcin-formalin (GRF) glue between the two patches. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 0% (0/25 case). A postoperative major shunt occurred in three patients (12%, 3/25) and two of them required reoperation (8%, 2/25). Hospital mortality was 28% (seven patients). Mean follow-up period was 4.2 ± 3.7 years. The overall survival at one, five, and 10 years was 71 ± 9%, 65 ± 10%, and 56 ± 12%, respectively. There was no cardiac death during follow-up in the patients who survived for six months after the surgery. No tissue degeneration related to GRF glue was noted. CONCLUSION: The "sandwich technique" via a right ventricle incision results in a low incidence of postoperative leak and good short- and mid-term survival.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated clinical outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (rDTAA). METHODS: Twenty-three patients with rDTAA (mean age, 76.8 ± 8.8 years) underwent TEVAR at our center between January 2008 and April 2013. RESULTS: In twenty-three patients, five patients (21.7%) were in shock before surgery. Technical success was achieved in 21 patients. After TEVAR, retrograde Type A aortic dissection occurred in one patient, Type I endoleak in one patient, and Type II endoleak in three patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 4.3% (n = 1), and there were five in-hospital deaths (21.7%). Six patients (26.1%) developed cerebral complications and two patients suffered from paraplegia. In the late phase, four patients died because of the following aortic events: re-rupture in one patient, rupture of another untreated aneurysm in two patients, and esophageal perforation in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: TEVAR is associated with relatively low early morbidity and mortality and can be performed in older and high-risk patients. However, because aortic events during follow-up after TEVAR are not rare, we recommend close follow-up and application of early and aggressive reintervention.

Therapeutic strategy for treating aortoesophageal fistulas.

PURPOSE: The development fistulas between the thoracic aorta and the esophagus are highly fatal conditions. We aimed to identify a therapeutic strategy for treating aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) in this study, by investigating all AEF cases presented in this special symposium at the 65th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery. METHODS: Forty-seven AEF patients were included in this study. The survivors and nonsurvivors at six and 18 months after diagnosis of AEF were classified into "Group A6", "Group D6", "Group A18", and "Group D18", respectively. Comparisons between Group A6 and Group D6 and between Group A18 and Group D18 were made with regard to therapeutic strategy. RESULTS: Twenty-two (46.8 %) and 33 (70.3 %) of the 47 patients died within 6 and 18 months, respectively. The patients treated with omentum wrapping (p = 0.0052), esophagectomy (p = 0.0269) and a graft replacement strategy for the aorta (p = 0.002) were more frequently included in Group A6. The patients with the omentum wrapping (p = 0.0174) and esophagectomy (p = 0.0203) and graft replacement were more significantly included in Group A18. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that the mortality rate at 6 and 18 months after diagnosis was significantly correlated with graft replacement (p = 0.0188) and esophagectomy (p = 0.0257), respectively. There were significant differences in the actuarial survival curves in patients who had omentum wrapping, graft replacement, and esophagectomy compared to patients who did not have these 3 therapeutic procedures. CONCLUSION: The use of thoracic endovascular aortic repair alone for AEF should not be considered a definitive surgery. In contrast, esophagectomy, open surgery with aortic replacement using prostheses and homografts and greater omentum wrapping significantly improve the mid-term survival of AEF.

Risk analysis and improvement of strategies in patients who have acute type A aortic dissection with coronary artery dissection.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the risk factors for mortality and establish improved treatment strategies in patients who have acute type A aortic dissection with coronary artery dissection. METHODS: From January 1994 through December 2011, we performed surgery in 516 patients with acute type A aortic dissection. We studied 75 (15%) of these patients who had coronary artery dissection. Myocardial ischaemia was present in 48 (64%) of the 75 patients. The culprit coronary artery was the right coronary artery (RCA) in 26 patients, the left coronary artery (LCA) in 19 and the RCA + LCA in 3. For coronary artery reconstruction, preoperative coronary stent placement was done in 7 patients (RCA, 4 and LCA, 3), aortic root replacement in 14, coronary artery bypass grafting in 23 and biological glue application in 28. The relationships of preoperative risk factors and coronary artery reconstruction procedure with in-hospital death and postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (LOS) were analysed using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Hospital death was 18/75 patients (24%), 16/48 (33%) among patients with ischaemia and 2/27 (7.4%) without ischaemia. The culprit lesion involved the RCA in 4/26 patients (15%), the LCA in 9/19 (47%) and the RCA + LCA in 3/3 (100%). Factors related to operative mortality were ischaemia (P = 0.019), LCA territory ischaemia (P = 0.003) and preoperative cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) (P = 0.013). Postoperative LOS was less common in patients with coronary stent placement (P = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: In patients who undergo surgery for acute type A dissection with coronary artery dissection, preoperative CPA and myocardial ischaemia (particularly LCA territory ischaemia) negatively affect survival outcomes. Early revascularization by coronary stent placement is effective in preventing postoperative LOS.

Intramural haematoma should be referred to as thrombosed-type aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Intramural haematoma is defined pathologically as aortic dissection without an intimal tear. We therefore believe that this term is inappropriate as an acute clinical diagnosis, and instead, use the term 'thrombosed-type acute aortic dissection'. We compared the features of thrombosed-type acute aortic dissection with those of classic dissection. METHODS: Thrombosed type was defined as aortic dissection without flow in the false lumen of the aorta on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Surgery was indicated for all cases of type A acute aortic dissection, and central repair operations were performed in 509 patients. We retrospectively studied these patients' surgical records. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-four patients (68%) had classic dissection, and 165 (32%) had thrombosed type. Thrombosed type was associated with a significantly higher mean age (69 vs 60 years, P < 0.01), a higher incidence of cardiac tamponade (45 vs 28%, P < 0.01) and a lower incidence of malperfusion (6 vs 35%, P < 0.01) than classic dissection. Entry tears were located in the ascending aorta and the arch in 74 patients (45%) with thrombosed type. Since 2007, an intimal tear has been confirmed intraoperatively or on computed tomography in 39 (78%) of 50 patients with thrombosed-type aortic dissection. Mortality was significantly lower in patients with thrombosed-type dissection (6%) than in those with classic dissection (13%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of intramural haematoma are acute aortic dissections with an intimal tear without re-entry. Intramural haematoma should be referred to as thrombosed-type acute aortic dissection. Thrombosed type can be easily diagnosed on contrast-enhanced computed tomography and has features distinct from those of classic dissection. Our classification may be useful for the diagnosis of these types of aortic dissection.