European Registry of Type A Aortic Dissection

European Registry of Type A Aortic Dissection

Acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) is a life-threatening condition. Surgery is usually performed as a salvage procedure and is associated with significant postoperative early mortality and morbidity. Understanding the patient's conditions and treatment strategies which are associated with these adverse events is essential for an appropriate management of acute TAAD.

Twenty centers from eight European centers of cardiac surgery have collaborated to create a multicentre observational registry (ERTAAD), which will enroll consecutive patients who underwent surgery for acute TAAD from January 2005 to March 2021. The investigators will compare patient's comorbidities, condition at referral, surgical strategies and perioperative treatments in patients with and without early and late adverse events. The primary clinical outcome will be in-hospital mortality, late mortality and reoperations on the aorta. Secondary outcomes will be stroke, acute kidney injury, surgical site infection, reoperation for bleeding, transfusion of blood products and length of stay in the intensive care unit.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Type A aortic dissection or intramural hematoma involving the aortic root/ascending aorta;
• Patients aged > 18 years:
• Symptoms started within 7 days from surgery;
• Primary surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection;
• Any other major cardiac surgical procedure concomitant with surgery for type A aortic dissection.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged < 18 years;
• Onset of symptoms > 7 days from surgery;
• Prior procedure for type A aortic dissection;
• Retrograde type A aortic dissection (with primary tear located in the descending aorta);
• Concomitant endocarditis;
• Type A aortic dissection secondary to blunt or penetrating chest trauma.