TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a life-threatening emergency
that is increasing in both prevalence and
incidence1,2. There is well-documented correlation
between aortic dilation and risk of aortic dissection, and current
guidelines for preventative surgical intervention are based on
measurements of aortic diameter3–7. As our
understanding of thoracic aortic disease expands, it has become clear
that many patients experience aortic dissection at an aortic diameter
less than the current intervention guideline of 5.5
cm8–10. Therefore, supplementation of the current
diameter-based guidelines with an additional predictor of aortic
dissection is warranted. Little information is known about the
relationship between length of the ascending thoracic aorta and risk of
aortic dissection. In recent years, ascending aortic length has been
identified as a “neglected dimension” that may predict risk for
ATAAD11–13. However, no study has compared aortic
length in patients with ATAAD to aortic length in a population of
matched controls. We aim to evaluate whether patients who present with
ATAAD exhibit differential aortic length compared to control patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS