Aortic Expansion Assessed by Imaging Follow-up after Acute Aortic Syndrome: Effect of Sleep Apnea

摘要

To the Editor: After surgical treatment of type A acute aortic syndrome (AAS), some patients exhibit aneurysmal aorta expansion (AAE) either upstream or downstream of the prosthetic tube. The mechanisms promoting AAE are not fully understood. It is recognized that intermediary mechanisms involved in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) pathophysiology affect thoracic aorta expansion. The thoracic aorta of a patient with OSA is continuously strained by repetitive surges in blood pressure, transmural stretching resulting from huge variations in intrathoracic pressure, and intermittent hypoxia-related vascular remodeling. To date, there are no data available on the effect of OSA on AAE after surgery for type A AAS.