Follow-up and Study
Endpoints
Patients were discharged (with oral medications to maintain systolic
blood pressure [< 120 mmHg]) after receiving necessary
open surgery or until the complete absorption of the ascending aortic
hematoma with or without necessary TEVAR. The surveillance included
clinical examinations and imaging re-examinations at 1, 3, 6, and 12
months and then annually. All imaging studies were independently
evaluated by one radiologist (F.Y.) and two cardiac surgeons (Q. C. and
F.K.) who specialized in cardiac imaging techniques. The criteria for
further reintervention were as follows: complications after TEVAR
(endo-leak, ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm retrograding, retrograde
type A aortic dissection), signs of aortic rupture, rapid growth of
aortic diameters (>5 mm/year), or a maximum aorta diameter
> 55 mm [10][16] . The primary outcome was
aorta-related mortality (confirmed by autopsy or CTA examination).
Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality and aortic remodeling.