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Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence and predisposing condition for aortic wall complications in adults with either repaired or non-repaired coarctation of the aorta., Background: Aortic wall complications may develop in adults with coarctation of the aorta, despite successful surgical repair in childhood., Methods: A total of 235 adults with coarctation (mean age 27 +/- 13 years) were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment had been performed by surgery in 181 patients (group I) or by balloon angioplasty or stenting in 28 patients (group II). No previous intervention had been carried out in 26 patients with mild coarctation at diagnosis (group III)., Results: Forty-four aortic wall complications were found in 37 patients (16%). There were no differences among the three groups with respect to total complications (15%, 18%, and 15%, respectively), ascending aortic aneurysms (9%, 11%, and 12%), or descending aortic aneurysms (4% in all three groups). Multivariate analysis did not show a significant relationship between previous repair, type of repair, age at repair, residual Doppler pressure gradient, or systemic hypertension and the occurrence of aortic complications. Only aging (risk ratio [RR] 1.4 per decade of age, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 1.8, p = 0.002) and bicuspid aortic valve (RR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 7.5, p = 0.005) were significantly related to these complications., Conclusions: Aortic wall complications are frequent in adults with coarctation of the aorta beyond that attributable to associated hemodynamic derangement or previous repair. The only independent risk factors appear to be advanced age and bicuspid aortic valve.

Clinical records of 30 neonates with aortic coarctation admitted to neonate ICU from January 1985 to June 1990 are reviewed. We analyzed perioperative data to search for adverse prognostic signs. Patients weights were 2,970 +/- 500 grams and gestational age 38.5 +/- 1.7 weeks. Mean age at admission was 10.5 +/- 10 and mean age of surgery 13 +/- 11 days. 70% had associated congenital heart defects. Surgical technique was patch angioplasty in 86% and subclavian flap in 14%. Early or late mortality among patients with isolated aortic coarctation was nonexistent, and it was 28.5% in patients with other congenital heart defects. 13% has postoperative hypertension and 3.3% recoarctation. Adverse prognosis signs were preoperative (associated congenital heart defects, especially ventricular septal defect and interrupted aortic arch, greater dose of catecholamines and mechanical ventilation), intraoperative (pulmonary artery banding), and postoperative (hypotension, cardiac failure, arrhythmia, oligoanuria, metabolic acidosis, greater need of mechanical ventilation, bleeding and thrombopenia). Date are compared with other neonatal series.