Long-term survival and complications after composite graft replacement for ascending aortic aneurysm associated with aortic regurgitation

The Bentall operation was performed in 44 patients between March 1972 and December 1988. Twenty patients had stigmata of Marfan's syndrome, and 15 had aortic dissection. All showed annuloaortic ectasia. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 16 years (mean, 5.8 years). There were six early deaths (14%) and seven late deaths (16%), with actuarial survival at 10 years of 65 +/- 8%. The late deaths were mostly related to aneurysms occurring in the remainder of the aorta. No patient has undergone reoperation related to the composite graft, but six patients required seven subsequent operations on the remaining aorta. The actuarial probability of freedom from late death and subsequent operation at 8 years was 64 +/- 9% for the operative survivors, but it was 44 +/- 17% for the patients with aortic dissection and 37 +/- 19% for those with Marfan's syndrome. Postoperative angiography performed 3-168 months (mean, 42 months) postoperatively in 23 nonselective patients demonstrated recurrent true aneurysms at both or one of the coronary ostia (seven), persistent dissection distal to the distal aortic anastomosis (five), pseudoaneurysm at the left coronary ostium (one), pseudoaneurysm due to a small leak at the proximal aortic anastomosis (one), and partial dehiscence of the distal aortic suture line (one). Composite graft replacement carries a potential risk of various late complications. Our data support the concept that earlier detection and aggressive treatment of the late complications occurring in the remainder of the diseased aorta is necessary to improve long-term survival after the Bentall operation.