Malperfusion syndromes in acute type A aortic dissection

Acute aortic dissection complicated by malperfusion syndrome is a devastating condition that significantly impacts morbidity and mortality. Malperfusion syndrome can affect any vascular bed with varying degrees of end-organ involvement. While conventional management of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) with or without malperfusion syndrome is emergent central aortic repair, growing evidence suggests that this approach results in unsatisfactory outcomes for those presenting specifically with mesenteric malperfusion. With the established short and long-term benefits of thoracic endovascular aortic repair in the management of acute complicated type B aortic dissection, there is an emerging paradigm shift towards initial reperfusion of distal organs with a variety of endovascular and transcatheter techniques followed by central aortic repair in an otherwise stable patient whose risk of aortic rupture is low. A multidisciplinary team and a patient-specific approach remain paramount in the successful management of this high-risk, high-complexity subset of ATAAD patients.