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J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2008;135:1042-1046
© 2008 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Surgery for Acquired Cardiovascular Disease

Should emergency surgical intervention be performed for an octogenarian with type A acute aortic dissection?

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Received for publication May 14, 2007; revisions received July 31, 2007; accepted for publication August 16, 2007.

^_* Address for reprints: Mitsumasa Hata, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Ooyaguchi Kamimachi Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan. (Email: mihata{at}med.mihon-u.ac.jp).

Objective: The number of octogenarians undergoing emergency surgery is increasing and may negate the impact of the beneficial advances. The aim of this study was to review octogenarians with type A acute aortic dissection and assess the prognosis.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with acute aortic dissection, whose average age was 83.2 years, were divided into 2 groups: Group I comprised 30 patients who underwent emergency surgery, and group II comprised 28 patients who were treated conservatively. We compared the 2 groups in terms of mortality and morbidity.

Results: In group I, postoperative hospital mortality was 13.3% (4 patients). In group II, 17 patients (60.7%) died in the hospital. In group I, although emergency aortic replacement was successfully completed, 5 patients became bedridden after surgery and 2 patients died of pneumonia or stroke in the early stages of institutional care. Thirteen patients in group I died of malignancies, abdominal aortic rupture, traffic accident, heart failure, or late-stage senility in later phase. There was no difference in actuarial survivals at 5 years, which were 48.5% in group I and 35.4% in group II.

Conclusion: Emergency surgery for octogenarians with acute aortic dissection showed acceptable mortality. However, families had to take responsibility for patients who experienced unconsciousness, had dementia, or became bedridden. It is important to have consensus between the family and surgeons about emergency surgical treatment for octogenarians.

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"We didn't expect dementia and diapers": Reflections on the Nihon experience with type A aortic dissection in octogenarians

Martin F. McKneally
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 2008 135: 984-985. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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				M. F. McKneally "We didn't expect dementia and diapers": Reflections on the Nihon experience with type A aortic dissection in octogenarians. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., May 1, 2008; 135(5): 984 - 985. [Full Text] [PDF]