Introduction Acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) is a severe and complex disease that is often linked to diverse, possible complications. Without appropriate surgical treatment approximately 75% of all patients die within 14 days after the onset of symptoms. 1 Because of advances in surgery, anesthesia and medical therapy postoperative outcome is steadily improving. 2-4 Most published literature concerns about surgical outcome, survival of patients, and complications leading to disability. Postoperative QoL comparing physical and psychological status is rarely considered in this view. The following article concerns about long-term outcome and quality of life (QoL) after AADA, and focuses on the changes of QoL concerning physical and mental status. Methods Patient Selection From January 1, 1999, until December 31, 2006, 120 patients received an emergency operation for Stanford type A aortic dissection. All patients were recorded and were asked to answer an SF-36 questionnaire during routine follow-up (FU). Four patients refused FU and seven were lost to FU resulting in 109 patients for this study group. Data Collection Dataset was acquired using SF-36 QoL questionnaire. The first SF-36 questionnaire (FU I) was obtained within 45 AE 32 months after surgery, the second (FU II), 46 AE 10 months thereafter. Some of the patients could not show up for their Keywords ► aortic dissection ► SF-36 ► quality of life ► long-term outcome