Untreated distal intimal tears may be associated with paraplegia after total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk treatment of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible overlooked causes of early postoperative paraplegia, a severe complication of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) after total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk (FET).

METHODS

We reviewed the clinical data and perioperative aortic computed tomography angiography records of 110 consecutive patients with ATAAD who underwent total arch replacement and FET (12 cm) between December 2014 and September 2017 and investigated the possible risk factors related to early postoperative paraplegia.

RESULTS

Paraplegia occurred in 5 (4.5%) patients. No significant differences were found between patients with and without paraplegia in terms of sex, age, medical history, cardiopulmonary bypass time, antegrade cerebral perfusion time, rectal temperature during antegrade cerebral perfusion, postoperative hypotension, maximum first 24-hour vasoactive-inotropic score, upper-lower pressure gradient, or false lumen thrombosis. Postoperative aortic computed tomography angiography showed a "cutoff" phenomenon in the lower descending aorta in 4 of the 5 patients. Univariate logistical analysis showed that paraplegia was associated with the "cutoff" phenomenon (P < .05). The patients with a distance ≥30 mm from the distal end of the stent to the first untreated intimal tear had significantly greater rates of the "cutoff" phenomenon and paraplegia than those with the distance <30 mm (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Total arch replacement and FET is safe and feasible for ATAAD involving the descending aorta. Early postoperative paraplegia is associated with the "cutoff" phenomenon in the lower descending aorta. The position of the first untreated intimal tear may be related with the occurrence of the "cutoff" phenomenon and paraplegia.