Modified frozen elephant trunk procedure as standard approach in acute type A aortic dissection: A propensity-weighted analysis

Objectives: To evaluate whether the modified frozen elephant trunk (mFET) procedure provides comparable outcome compared with the standard approach for DeBakey type I aortic dissection. Methods: From November 2008 to December 2018, 262 (mean age 62.7 +/- 12.4 years) patients with acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection were included. mFET was performed in 100 (38.2%) patients and isolated ascending aorta and hemiarch replacement (iAoA) were performed in 162 (61.8%). Outcome analyses included in-hospital mortality, stroke rate, incidence of composite cardiovascular events, survival, freedom from aorta-related intervention, as well as freedom from neurologic event. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied. Results: After inverse probability of treatment weighting, in-hospital mortality was greater in the iAoA group. The incidence of cardiac cause of death, new postoperative renal failure, as well as stroke rate were similar in both groups. The survival at 1 year, 3 years, and 4 years was 84%, 81%, and 77%, respectively, in the iAoA group and 91%, 86%, and 86%, P =.025, respectively, in the mFET group. Cause-specific HR for aortic reoperation 1.03 (confidence interval [CI], 0.43-2.48, P =.95) and neurovascular event 2.72 (CI, 0.62-11.93, P =.19) was similar in 2 groups. Subhazard ratio (sHR) for mortality as competing outcome for aorta-related reintervention sHR of 0.52 (CI, 0.32-0.86, P =.011) and neurologic event sHR of 0.45 (95% CI, 0.26-0.76, P =.003) was significantly lower in mFET. Conclusions: The mFET procedure as surgical treatment modality for DeBakey type I acute aortic dissection may be considered as viable alternative with beneficial mid-term outcome.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the efficacy of the modified frozen elephant trunk (mFET) procedure compared to the standard approach in the treatment of DeBakey type I aortic dissection. The results showed that mFET may be considered as a viable alternative with beneficial mid-term outcomes.