Reoperative Aortic Surgery

The presentation of long-term complications after conventional aortic surgery and the treatment of patients that have had reoperative aortic operations are reviewed. Ninety-seven consecutive patients that had 102 subsequent aortic operations at a tertiary referral center were studied. Presenting symptoms, demographics, risk factors, indications for initial and second procedures, operative techniques and outcomes were recorded in a computerized database. There were 70 men and 27 women studied, with an average age of 64 years. First operations were performed primarily for aneurysm (56%) and occlusive disease (44%). The interval between procedures ranged up to 23 years, with a mean of 6 years. Indications for reoperation were subsequent aneurysm (65), graft occlusions (25) and/or infections (24). Seventy-three percent of the subsequent aneurysms were true metachronous aneurysms; the others were associated with the graft or an anastomosis. Para-anastomotic aneurysms may be more common with a primary end-to-side graft configuration. One-third of subsequent aneurysms were not palpable and asymptomatic. Graft occlusion can be treated safely with elective repeat bypass (mortality 0%). Gra