Background: Management of uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD) has traditionally been aggressive medical therapy. Recent studies brought about a paradigm shift with evidence to suggest benefits from early endovascular intervention to a high risk subgroup of acute uncomplicated TBAD patients.
Aims: We aim to review the effects of aortic remodeling in Asian patients with TBAD with and without endovascular intervention, including maximal aortic diameter, true lumen diameter, and false lumen thrombosis.
Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study of a prospective database. Patients who presented to our institution with acute TBAD from January 2008 to December 2015 (n = 44) were evaluated. Eighteen percent (8 patients) presented with complicated TBAD and underwent emergency thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) while the remaining 82% (36 patients) were treated with optimal medical therapy (OMT).
Results: Six patients under the conservative arm crossed over to elective TEVAR after 6 weeks because of interval radiological progression of disease. There was no significant difference in the baseline demographics of the TEVAR group and the OMT group. At 24 months, mean maximal aortic diameter difference was -7.7 mm and +1.9 mm (P = 0.077), mean true lumen diameter difference was +10.0 mm and +2.6 mm (P = 0.049), and false lumen thrombosis was 100% and 20% (P = 0.012) for TEVAR and OMT, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups at 30 days and 2 years.
Conclusions: Within an Asian population with TBAD, TEVAR with OMT has a significant positive effect on aortic remodeling, compared with OMT-only management.
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