Primary surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta in adolescents and adults: intermediate results and consequences of hypertension

OBJECTIVES Coarctation of the aorta is known to present with hypertension in older patients; we reviewed our experience and assessed the outcome of hypertension following surgical correction. METHODS From April 2004 to date, 43 patients above the age of 12 underwent coarctation of the aorta repair. The mean age was 20.4+9.7years (maximum 56years); 21 (48.8%) were older than 18years and 28 (65.1%) were men. Thirty (69.8%) patients had hypertension. Fourteen (32.6%) had a bicuspid aortic valve; 11 (25.6%) had patent ductus arteriosus; 6 (14%) had myxomatous mitral valve; 4 (9.3%) had ascending aortic aneurysms; and 2 (4.7%) had descending aneurysms. RESULTS Surgical correction included resection and interposition of a tube graft in 31 (72.1%), an end-to-end anastomosis in 6 (14%) and patch aortoplasty in 3 (7%). Three (7%) patients required an extra-anatomical bypass: 1 had a long segment coarctation of the aorta, and 2 had a Bentall procedure with an ascending-to-descending aortic bypass. Staged procedures were done for concomitant disease in 4 (9.3%). There was 1 death: a 56-year-old woman died of refractory ventricular fibrillation during surgery. Thirty (69.8%) patients were discharged with antihypertensive medication. At a follow-up of 2.82.2years (maximum 9.2years), the number of hypertensive patients decreased (17/36; 47.2%) (P=0.042). Univariable predictors for persistence of hypertension revealed the use of an interpositional tube graft for repair (odds ratio 13.855, confidence interval 0.000-0.001; P=0.001) as an indicator, whereas there were no independent predictors for persistence of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS Surgical intervention is warranted irrespective of age and helps correct and control hypertension better; however, significant numbers of patients still require antihypertensive medication and regular monitoring. Intervention using an interposition tube graft may affect the prevalence of hypertension.