Inter-Stage Interval
60 patients were planned for Stage II, and inter-stage mortality (after
discharge) occurred in 5 patients (8.3%). Of these, 1 patient had a
fatal intracerebral hemorrhage, 1 patient had pulseless cardiac arrest
due to exacerbation of heart failure, and 3 patients died of severe
overwhelming sepsis (causes were; severe influenza pneumonia,
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus bacteremia, and bacterial pneumonia
in a patient with tracheostomy). There were no cases of aortic rupture
in the inter-stage interval.