[Result of surgical treatment of true or dissected thoracic aneurysm: determinants analysis in operative mortality and morbidity].

Between 1986 and 1990, 69 patients underwent surgery either for thoracic aneurysm (27 patients) or aortic dissection (42 patients). Sixty one patients (88%) survived and 8 patients (12%) died after surgery. Main determinants of deaths in 4 patients with true arch aneurysm were bleeding from the sites of aortic clamping or anastomosis and intraoperative severe LOS. Three patients with acute type A dissection died from bleeding due to clamp injury or myocardial ischemia. The cause of death in the patient with chronic type B dissection was associated with brain damage due to hypoxia developed during left heart bypass. Postoperative cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic and renal functions were analyzed in the operative survivors. Cardiac functions were maintained well in all patients except two patients with chronic type A dissection. Four patients, one with true arch aneurysm, 2 with chronic type A and one with chronic type B dissection, required tracheostomy. The mean of maximum total serum bilirubin exceeded 4 mg/dl in the patients with true arch aneurysm, acute and chronic type A dissection. The level of serum creatinine showed slight increase in all patients but prophylactic peritoneal dialysis was performed in one patient with chronic type A dissection. In conclusion, the cause of deaths in most patients with thoracic aneurysm was due to inappropriate operative techniques and circulatory supports during surgery. Without the complication described above, the patients could tolerate surgery well.