Stanford type A (proximal) aortic dissection accounts for ~60% of all aortic dissections
Classic treatment includes direct surgical replacement of the ascending aorta w/prosthetic graft (+/- AV aortic repair/replacement)
~20-30% of these patients (*institutional dependent) are considered poor candidates for surgery and receive only medical management, which innately results in substandard outcomes
In this study those who were considered poor candidates for surgical repair underwent novel endovascular treatment
Endovascular repair in this study was considered both appropriate and improved traditional medical outcomes in patients who were considered poor candidates
References
Lu Q, Feng J, et al. Endovascular Repair of Ascending Aortic Dissection A Novel Treatment Option for Patients Judged Un t for Direct Surgical Repair. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:1917–24
