Ep. 142 Type B Aortic Dissections with Dr. Frank Arko

Interventional Radiologist Sabeen Dhand talks with Vascular Surgeon Frank Arko about endovascular treatment of Type B Aortic Dissections (TBAD), including patient selection, appropriate sizing, and complications to avoid.

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SHOW NOTES

In this episode, vascular surgeon Dr. Frank Arko and our host Dr. Sabeen Dhand give an overview of type B aortic dissections, which includes different methods of classifying dissections, workup and imaging, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), potential complications, and timeline for follow up care.

Dr. Arko starts the episode by defining vocabulary terms related to aortic dissections. He describes the Stanford and DeBakey classification systems that are used to signify the location of the dissection and the method of treatment (medical management or surgical/endovascular repair). He also distinguishes between complicated/uncomplicated dissections, as well as acute/subacute/chronic dissections.

When Dr. Arko discusses TEVAR, he mentions three important complications to be aware of: retrograde type A dissection, stroke, and spinal cord ischemia. He emphasizes that in the debate between optimal medical therapy and early TEVAR, more research on how to minimize these complications is needed before recommending widespread use of early TEVAR. During his walk through of the procedure, Dr. Arko also gives his insight on adjunct techniques such as PETTICOAT.

Finally, the doctors discuss special considerations for patients with pleural effusion, chronic hypertension, type II thoracoabdominal aneurysms, and connective tissue disorders.

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RESOURCES

INSTEAD-XL Trial- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23922146/