The Impact of a Reentry Tear After Open Repair of Nonsyndromic Acute Type I Aortic Dissection

Abstract

Background: The role of a reentry tear in the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) after repair of acute aortic dissection is not well known. We therefore investigated the impact of reentry tear location on late aorta reintervention and the aortic expansion rate after open repair of acute type I aortic dissection.

Methods: We analyzed 309 nonsyndromic acute type I aortic dissection patients who were treated with a repair to the proximal aorta between 1994 and 2017. The locations of reentry tears, identified with predischarge computed tomography, were the proximal DTA in 119 patients (38.5%), distal DTA in 78 (25.2%), and abdominal aorta in 129 (41.7%). Patients who had a proximal DTA reentry tear were defined as the PDR group (119 [38.5%]), and the others were defined as the non-PDR group (190 [61.5%]).

Results: The 15-year freedom from aorta reintervention was significantly lower in the PDR group (51.5% ± 0.7% vs 90.4% ± 4.4%, P < .001). The aortic expansion rates of the proximal DTA (7.6 ± 16.1 mm/y vs 0.1 ± 2.5 mm/y, P < .001) and distal DTA (6.8 ± 15.5 mm/y vs 0.3 ± 3.1 mm/y, P < .001) were significantly higher in the PDR group. The 15-year freedom from significant aortic expansion was significantly lower in the PDR group (34.6% ± 6.9% vs 83.6% ± 7.9%, P < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that a proximal DTA reentry tear was an independent risk factor for aorta reintervention (hazard ratio, 4.955; 95% confidence interval, 1.691-14.523; P = .004) and significant aortic expansion (HR, 4.214; 95% CI, 1.691-10.498; P = .002).

Conclusions: A proximally located DTA reentry tear was associated with an increased risk of late aorta reintervention and distal aortic dilatation.