Diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic aortic dissection / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of asymptomatic aortic dissection (AD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten patients of asymptomatic AD were treated from January 2002 to June 2006. The patients were followed up and their data were reviewed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two patients of type A AD treated by open surgery and the 6 patients of type B AD received endovascular stent-graft repair were successfully treated, and no in-hospital death and severe complication occurred. Furthermore, all of them survived during follow-up. One of the 2 patients of type B AD received medical treatment still survive, but the other suddenly died during follow-up. The most possible cause of his death was fatal aorta rupture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The diagnosis of asymptomatic AD could be missed or mistaken easily because of its asymptomatic. Keeping a high clinical index of suspicion is crucial in establishing the diagnosis of asymptomatic AD. The asymptomatic AD also has high risk of fatal aorta rupture associated with re-dissection and aneurysmal dilatation. Therefore, type A and B asymptomatic AD should be treated by open surgery or endovascular repair respectively if possible. Endovascular stent-graft repair is a safe and effective method for the treatment of type B asymptomatic AD.</p>