Evidence-based On-call

Aortic dissection

Prognosis

Most patients survive surgery, and long-term survival is reasonable, though further surgery may be required, ^b

especially for rupture ^c

Note:

18% of patients are dead within 30 days (95% CI: 12% to 25%) - half are dead within 10 years ^c
10% require further surgery in the next 7 years (95% CI: 5% to 15%) ^b
Patients with dissecting aneurysms are more likely to have a rupture than patients with other types of aneurysm. The type of dissection has no effect on the chance of rupture. ^c

A dissecting aneurysm increases the risk of subsequent rupture

Patient	Prognostic Factor	Outcome	CER	RR (95% CI)	NNF+ (95% CI)
aortic aneurysm ^c	dissecting aneurysm not independent	rupture at 7 years	40%	3.3 (1.5 to 7.2)	3 (2 to 10)