Type A Aortic Dissection With Cerebral Malperfusion: New Insights

Abstract

Background: Management of type A aortic dissection with cerebral malperfusion poses a significant challenge. Although involvement of craniocervical vessels is undoubtedly critical, it is not well investigated in the surgical literature.

Methods: Between 1997 and 2019, 775 patients presented with acute type A aortic dissection and 80 (10%) with cerebral malperfusion. All patients were transferred from outside institutions. Medical records and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Fifty-nine patients (74%) underwent an open repair, 2 (3%) had an endovascular aortic repair, 2 (3%) had carotid stenting, and 18 (23%) received nonoperative management. In-hospital mortality of all comers was 40.0%, and 81.3% were neurology related. Among the 45 patients (56%) in whom cerebrocervical imaging studies were available, 11 (24%) had an internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and 28 (62%) had a common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion without ICA involvement as the culprit lesion. Six comatose patients (55%) were in the ICA group and 10 comatose patients (36%) in the CCA group (P = .28). All patients with ICA occlusion developed cerebral edema and herniation syndrome regardless of the management and died. In contrast 79% of patients with unilateral or bilateral CCA occlusion survived to hospital discharge (P < .001), and only 3 (11%) had a neurologic death (P < .001).

Conclusions: ICA occlusion in the presence of type A aortic dissection may be a surrogate marker for dismal neurologic outcomes regardless of the surgical approach, whereas CCA occlusion or comatose state should not preclude surgical candidacy. A prompt neck computed tomography angiography may be warranted in patients with cerebral malperfusion.