Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting during surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection affects operative mortality rather than midterm mortality.

Background: In this study, we investigated the impact of concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on operative and midterm mortality in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) undergoing surgical repair.

Methods: From January 2012 to December 2014, among 489 patients (mean age: 47.6 ± 10.4 years, 77.1% male) with ATAAD who received surgical repair at our institute, 21 patients (4.3%) underwent concomitant CABG. Isolated aortic repair was performed in the remaining 468 cases (95.7%). Coronary dissection was indicated in 15 patients (Neri classification type B in 2, type C in 13), concomitant coronary artery disease in five and coronary artery compression in one. The follow-up time was 97.3% at 44.1 ± 13.9 months.

Results: A total of 44 patients (9%) died from surgery, and operative mortality in the concomitant CABG group was significantly higher than that in the isolated aortic repair group (47.6%, 10/21 vs. 7.3%, 34/468; P < 0.001). Among the 11 survivors in the concomitant CABG group, no deaths occurred during the follow-up. Cox regression indicated that concomitant CABG increased the operative mortality risk by 9.2 times (HR, 9.26; 95% CI, 4.31-19.89; P < 0.001). Although it predicted a 5.2-fold increase in overall mortality (HR, 5.20; 95% CI, 2.55-10.61; P < 0.001), concomitant CABG did not affect midterm death (P = 0.996).

Conclusions: Concomitant CABG carries a significant operative risk in ATAAD patients undergoing surgical repair. However, survivors may benefit from concomitant CABG and had similar midterm mortality compared with the other cases.