Regional and Temporal Trends in the Outcomes of Repairs for Acute Type A Aortic Dissections

Background: Little information exists regarding the use of arch operations for repair of acute type A aortic dissections (AADs) despite increasing interest in this strategy and its potential impact on outcomes. We aimed to determine the relationship between extent of aortic repair, US geographic regions, and outcome. Methods: We queried The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database for patients who underwent AAD repair from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2016 and grouped patients by ascending-only operations and operations involving the arch. Results: We identified 25,462 patients (mean age, 59.8 ± 14.2; 66.7% men) who underwent AAD repair. Operations involving the ascending aorta only were performed in 54% of patients; 46% had repair additionally involving the arch. The 30-day mortality was 18.9% for patients who underwent ascending-only operations vs 19.8% for patients who underwent arch operations (P =.09). In multivariable analysis older age (P <.001), earlier year of operation (P <.001), diabetes mellitus (P <.001), severe chronic lung disease (P <.001), prior cerebrovascular disease (P <.001), and longer bypass time (P <.001) were independently associated with 30-day mortality. There was regional variation in 30-day mortality (P <.001), and incidence of arch repair varied from 38.6% to 52.6% in 9 geographic regions (P <.001). Conclusions: In this analysis of cardiac surgical practice in the United States, repair of AADs included a portion of the aortic arch in 46% of patients. Early mortality remained high throughout the current era regardless of extent of aortic resection. Regional variation in perioperative mortality may signal an opportunity for practice improvement.