Systematic review of outcomes of combined proximal stent grafting with distal bare stenting for management of aortic dissection

Objective Available data on outcomes of combined proximal stent grafting with distal bare stenting for management of aortic dissection are limited. This is a systematic review of outcomes of this approach. Methods Studies involving combined proximal stent grafting with distal bare stenting for management of aortic dissection were systematically searched and reviewed. Results A total of 4 studies were included, with 108 patients treated for acute (n = 54) and chronic (n = 54) aortic dissection. Technical success rate was 95.3% (range, 84-100). The 30-day mortality was 2.7% (range, 0%-5%). Morbidity rate within 30 days was 51.8% (range, 0%-65%) and included stroke (2.7%), paraplegia (2.7%), retrograde dissection (1.8%), renal failure (14.8%), severe cardiopulmonary complications (5.5%), and bowel ischemia (0.9%). Incidence of type I endoleak was 9.2% (10/108). During follow-up, 5 patient deaths (4.6%) were related to aortic rupture or aortic repair. Reintervention rate was from 12.9%. Two cases of delayed retrograde type A dissection (1.9%) and 1 case of aortobronchial fistula (0.9%) were reported. Most common delayed complication was thoracic stent-graft migration (4.7%). Device failure rate was 9.2%. Favorable aortic remodeling was observed: studies reporting midterm follow-up of the true lumen demonstrated high rates of false-lumen regression and true-lumen expansion. At 12 months, complete false-lumen thrombosis was observed at the thoracic level in 70.4% and at the abdominal level in 13.5%. Conclusions Combined proximal stent grafting with distal bare stenting for management of aortic dissection appears to be a reasonable approach for type B aortic dissection, clearly improved true-lumen perfusion and diameter although failing to suppress false-lumen patency completely. Contemporary information on this approach is mainly provided by small series with a wide range of results.