Complicated Type B Aortic Dissection in Late Pregnancy: Management
Strategy and Outcomes
Abstract
Objective: Pregnancy with complicated type B aortic dissection
is a rare but devastating scenario. And there are no definitive
guidelines for management and therapy. We report our exploration and
experiences of managing five pregnant with complicated TBAD in the
second or third trimesters, aiming to propose an appropriate management
strategy. Design: Retrospective study. Setting:
Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. Population: Pregnant
women with TBAD Methods: The clinical data of 5 pregnant women
with TBAD who were admitted to the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University
from January 2022 to June 2023 were collected. The clinical features,
diagnostic procedures, treatment strategies and corresponding maternal
and infant outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Main Outcome
Measures: The survival of mother and fetus. Result: All five
pregnant women with TBAD were diagnosed with complicated TBAD. The
average age of the patients was (34.8±8.13) years, and the range of
gestational weeks at admission was 27 weeks plus 3 days to 36 weeks plus
6 days. The first patient intending to receive a cesarean section and
subsequent TEVAR died of rupture of aortic dissection during cesarean
section. Her neonate was successfully rescued. The remaining four
patients who underwent TEVAR first survived. Three underwent
single-stage aortic repair and delivery, and one patient underwent
cesarean section 27 days after TEVAR. Three preterm live births of these
four patients were recorded. During late follow-up, no maternal and
fetal deaths occurred. Neither device-related nor systemic complications
post TEVAR were observed in the mother. Routine physical examinations of
four live births showed no abnormalities. Conclusion: When a
pregnant woman in the second or third trimester has thoracic back pain
and highly suspected aortic dissection, CTA should be performed to avoid
missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis and diagnostic delay. Once diagnosed,
maternal survival should be prioritized over fetal concerns. TEVAR is
safe and feasible for such patients. For complicated TBAD in the third
trimester single-stage delivery and TEVAR are preferred, and TEVAR
followed by cesarean section performed in one operative session is the
treatment of choice.