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Although the operative mortality rate decreased over time for patients with aortic dissection, the risk for those with acute aortic dissection during the last 10 years (1983 to 1992) is probably more realistic than that observed in the preceding 5-year interval (1978 to 1982). The operative mortality rates for patients with chronic aortic dissection have remained relatively static. Earlier diagnosis of acute aortic dissection before development of cardiac tamponade and renal impairment is critical to improve the operative salvage rate. Long-term outcome still is not optimal, which emphasizes the need for better serial postoperative aortic imaging surveillance and medical follow-up and blood pressure control.

The incidence of peripheral vascular complications in 272 patients with aortic dissection during a 25-year span was determined, as was outcome after a uniform, aggressive surgical approach directed at repair of the thoracic aorta. One hundred twenty-eight patients (47%) presented with acute type A dissection, 70 (26%) with chronic type A, 40 (15%) with acute type B, and 34 (12%) with chronic type B dissections. Eighty-five patients (31%) sustained one or more peripheral vascular complications: Seven (3%) had a stroke, nine (3%) had paraplegia, 66 (24%) sustained loss of a peripheral pulse, 22 (8%) had impaired renal perfusion, and 14 patients (5%) had compromised visceral perfusion. Following repair of the thoracic aorta, local peripheral vascular procedures were unnecessary in 92% of patients who presented with absence of a peripheral pulse. The operative mortality rate for all patients was 25% +/- 3% (68 of 272 patients). For the subsets of individuals with paraplegia, loss of renal perfusion, and compromised visceral perfusion, the operative mortality rates (+/- 70% confidence limits) were high: 44% +/- 17% (4 of 9 patients), 50% +/- 11% (11 of 22 patients), and 43% +/- 14% (6 of 14 patients), respectively. The mortality rates were lower for patients presenting with stroke (14% +/- 14% [1 of 7 patients]) or loss of peripheral pulse (27% +/- 6% [18 of 66 patients]). Multivariate analysis revealed that impaired renal perfusion was the only peripheral vascular complication that was a significant independent predictor of increased operative mortality risk (p = 0.024); earlier surgical referral (replacement of the appropriate section of the thoracic aorta) or more expeditious diagnosis followed by surgical renal artery revascularization after a thoracic procedure may represent the only way to improve outcome in this high-risk patient subset. Early, aggressive thoracic aortic repair (followed by aortic fenestration and/or abdominal exploration with or without direct visceral or renal vascular reconstruction when necessary) can save some patients with compromised visceral perfusion; however, once visceral infarction develops the prognosis is also poor. Increased awareness of these devastating complications of aortic dissection and the availability of better diagnostic tools today may improve the survival rate for these patients in the future. The initial surgical procedure should include repair of the thoracic aorta in most patients.

The prognosis for patients with acute type B aortic dissection is bleak and determined primarily by dissection-related and patient-specific risk factors, which do not appear to be readily modifiable.

We studied the effects of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection on 301 cardiac transplant recipients who were treated during the cyclosporine era of immunosuppression (1980 to the present). These patients received varying combinations of cyclosporine, azathioprine, prednisone, rabbit antithymocyte globulin, and OKT3 as their immunosuppressive therapy. Two hundred ten patients were free of CMV infection (non-CMV group). During the same period CMV infection developed in 91 patients, as manifested by a fourfold IgG serologic titer rise, demonstration of CMV inclusion bodies in tissue, or positive cultures for the virus (CMV group). The rate of graft rejection was significantly higher in the CMV group. Graft atherosclerosis was significantly more severe in the CMV group as judged by angiographic criteria or by pathologic study. Patient survival rates were significantly lower in the CMV group. Death caused by graft atherosclerosis was significantly more common among patients in the CMV group. Finally, the graft loss rate (from either death or retransplantation for atherosclerosis) was significantly greater in the CMV group. These data demonstrate that CMV infection in cardiac transplant recipients is associated with more frequent rejection, graft atherosclerosis, and death.

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