[Aortic aneurysm and aortic injury--surgical treatment and follow-up]. / Aortenaneurysmen und Aortenverletzungen--Chirurgische Behandlung und Verläufe.

ABSTRACT

This study summarizes our experience with 90 patients (68 male and 22 female, mean age 57.2 years). From Jan. 1980 to Feb. 1990, 51.1% underwent surgery for dissection of the aorta; the rest for acute aortic ruptures, false and true aneurysms. Procedures with reconstruction of the aortic arch were performed in cases of deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest (no fatal courses). The overall death rate was 18.8% (emergency 29.5%, elective 8.7%). Acute dissections Type I had the highest perioperative mortality with 29.4%. The leading causes of early death were myocardial infarction (23.5%) and cerebral injury (23.5%). Therefore coronary angiograms should be performed preoperatively in older patients. A major problem in our experience is the long-term followup examination which should remain the surgeon's responsibility.