ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Acute isolated abdominal aortic dissection (IAAD) is a rare condition and treatment recommendations are lacking. Most previous studies included both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The aims were to determine the proportion of IAAD among patients with acute type B aortic dissection as well as to describe patient characteristics, radiological findings, and frequency of early and late complications and to explore sex differences. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including all patients hospitalized with acute symptomatic IAAD in Stockholm County during 2012-2021. RESULTS: A total of 277 patients with acute type B aortic dissection were identified, of whom 10% (n = 28/277) had acute IAAD. Median age was 56 years and 43% (n = 12/28) were women. Hypertension was diagnosed in 46% (n = 13/28) prior to admission. At onset, abdominal pain was the predominant complaint (93%, n = 26/28) and 93% (n = 26/28) were hypertensive on admission. The suprarenal aorta was involved in 39% (n = 11/28) and at least 1 of the iliac arteries in 50% (n = 14/28). All but 1 patient had uncomplicated IAAD (96%, n = 27/28). One patient presented with aortic rupture, treated with open surgical repair. Among patients with primarily uncomplicated IAAD, 7% eventually developed chronic complications (n = 2/27). Median maximum aortic diameter at 1-year follow-up was 21 mm (interquartile range 17-28). Only 1 patient had an aortic diameter exceeding 30 mm. None of the patients died during follow-up; median follow-up was 3.0 years (interquartile range 2-8). CONCLUSIONS: Early and late complications are rare in patients with acute symptomatic IAAD and a conservative approach with antihypertensive treatment and surveillance in uncomplicated cases seems reasonable.
ABSTRACT
Background: A systematic review of low-risk death has been shown successful in identifying system weaknesses. The aim was to analyse early mortality in low-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to determine the cause of death, classify if they were unavoidable or potentially preventable as a result of technical or system errors. Methods: We included all low-risk patients who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2019. In patients operated between 2009 and 2011, we defined low risk as an additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) I less than or equal to 3, and from 2012 and onwards as a EuroSCORE II less than or equal to 1.5. The medical records for the patients who died within 30 days of surgery were thoroughly examined and the cause of death was classified as cardiac or non-cardiac. Furthermore, deaths were categorised as not preventable, preventable (technical error) or preventable (system error). Results: During the study period 3103 low-risk patients underwent surgery, and 11 patients died within 30 days of the operation (0.35%). Six of these (55%) were classified as preventable and five non-preventable. Four of the preventable deaths were classified as technical errors and two were due to system errors. Conclusions: A repeated systematic review of deaths in patients with a low preoperative risk showed that a majority of deaths were preventable, and therefore potentially avoidable. Similar to the previous assessment at our unit, mortality was very low and failure to communicate remains a modifiable factor that should be addressed.
