What is the natural history of the false channel in patients after surgical repair of type A aortic dissection as evaluated by CT?
Serial CT examinations are valuable for monitoring the progressive nature of the false channel in patients who have undergone surgical correction of a type A aortic dissection.
To evaluate the false channel after surgical repair of a type A aortic dissection, postoperative computed tomographic (CT) scans were retrospectively reviewed in 33 patients. Initial CT demonstrated persistence of a double channel distal to the site of surgical repair in 26 patients (79%). In four of these patients serial CT demonstrated enlargement of the false channel, a finding that contributed to the decision to repeat surgery. Progression of thrombus was noted in five patients. Peripheral calcification within the aortic wall of the false channel, presumably located on the "pseudointima," was found in six patients. Because of the progressive nature of type A dissections in the postoperative period, serial CT examinations can provide important information on patients who have undergone surgical correction of a type A dissection.
Yamaguchi et al. (1989) studied this question.