Coarctation of the Aorta: Lifelong Surveillance Is Mandatory Following Surgical Repair

The objective of our study was to review the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing surgical repair of aortic coarctation. Surgical repair of aortic coarctation has been performed at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, for over 60 years. Between 1946 and 2005, 819 patients with isolated coarctation of the aorta underwent primary operative repair. Medical records were reviewed and questionnaires mailed to the patients. Mean age at repair was 17.2 ± 13.6 years. The majority (83%) had pre-operative hypertension. Operations included simple and extended end-to-end anastomosis (n = 632), patch angioplasty (n = 72), interposition grafting (n = 49), bypass grafting (n = 30), and subclavian flap or "other" (n = 35). Overall early mortality (20 yrs) and pre-operative hypertension were associated with decreased survival (p < 0.001). Patients age