Outcomes of medically treated patients with aortic intramural hematoma
Authors
Jae-Kwan Song ; Hyun-Sook Kim ; Jong-Min Song ; Duk-Hyun Kang ; Jong-Won Ha ; Se-Joong Rim ; Namsik Chung ; Kee-Sik Kim ; Seung Woo Park ; Yong Jin Kim ; Dae-Won Sohn
Citation
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, Vol.113(3) : 181-187, 2002
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Aortic Diseases/diagnosis* ; Aortic Diseases/mortality ; Aortic Diseases/therapy* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal/methods ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma/diagnosis* ; Hematoma/mortality ; Hematoma/therapy* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Probability ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Registries ; Severity of Illness Index ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome
Abstract
PURPOSE: Aortic intramural hematoma has been considered a precursor of aortic dissection, and the same treatment strategy, usually involving surgery, has been applied to both conditions. However, the outcomes of patients with aortic intramural hematoma who are treated medically, including the remodeling process that occurs after an acute event, are not known.
SUBJECT AND METHODS: A total of 124 patients with acute aortic intramural hematoma (41 in the proximal aorta and 83 in the distal aorta) was enrolled from five institutions in South Korea. Patients received medical treatment without surgery. A follow-up imaging study was performed in 105 patients.
RESULTS: Pericardial (59% [n = 24] vs. 11% [n = 9], P <0.004) and pleural effusions (63% [n = 26] vs. 45% [n = 37], P = 0.05) were more common in patients with the proximal type than in those with the distal type. In-hospital mortality was somewhat higher with proximal hematomas (7% [n = 3 deaths] vs. 1% [n = 1 death], P = 0.11). A follow-up imaging study in 36 patients with proximal hematomas confirmed resorption of the hematoma in 24 patients (67%) and development of aortic dissection in 9 (25%). Resorption was confirmed in 54 (78%) of the 69 patients with distal hematomas who underwent follow-up imaging; localized aortic dissection developed in 11 (16%) of these patients. The 3-year survival rate was 78% in the proximal type and 87% in the distal type (P = 0.10).
CONCLUSION: Patients with aortic intramural hematoma had a high rate of resorption with medical treatment regardless of the affected site. Further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal treatment strategy and timing of surgical intervention, especially for patients with proximal hematomas.