The distribution of the depth of aortic dissection and the correlation of the dissection depth index with other parameters

Background

In patients with aortic dissection, the aortic wall is separated into two layers along a dissection plane. In this study, a survey was performed to investigate the distribution of the depth of dissection plane and its correlation with other clinical and pathological parameters to help understand and expand the current knowledge of aortic dissection.

Methods

Pathology information system were searched for patients with aortic dissection who had undergone aortic replacement between 2019 and 2022 in Wuhan Asia General Hospital. The depth of dissection plane and dissection depth index were measured in the area around the edge of dissection plane. Correlation between parameters was calculated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Results

124 patients were included in this study. The depth of dissection plane ranged from 533 to 2335 microns, and the 5th percentile was 778 microns. The dissection depth index ranged from 0.320 to 0.972, and the 5th percentile was 0.503. The correlation coefficients were -0.305 (P=.0007), -0.259 (P=0.0111), 0.188 (P=0.0367), 0.189 (P=0.0359) respectively for male gender, the length of aortic dissection, atherosclerosis, and translamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation.

Conclusions

In 95% of patients with aortic dissection, the depth of dissection plane is larger than 778 microns, and the dissection depth index is greater than 0.503. In other words, aortic dissection rarely occurs in the inner 50.3% of the aortic media. The dissection depth index is negatively correlated with male gender and the length of aortic dissection, and positively correlated with atherosclerosis and translamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation.