S. Svensjo et al., THORACIC AND THORACOABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM AND DISSECTION - AN INVESTIGATION BASED ON AUTOPSY, British Journal of Surgery, 83(1), 1996, pp. 68-71
The city of Malmo (population approximately 230 000) has a fairly stab
le urban population and a high autopsy rate (83 per cent of ail deaths
). Autopsy records for the period from 1958 to 1985 were scrutinized a
nd three groups of patients were defined: those with asymptomatic thor
acic aortic aneurysm (TAA), those with rupture of the thoracic aorta,
and those with dissection. The findings were used to calculate prevale
nce and incidence according to age and sex. Asymptomatic TAA was found
in 205 patients (109 men). There was a predominance of men in higher
age groups and about 5 per cent of the lesions were thoracoabdominal.
Rupture of the thoracic aorta was the cause of death in 63 patients; n
o age difference between the sexes was observed. Death as a result of
dissection occurred in 216 patients, women dying on average 7 years la
ter than men. The incidence of rupture was 0.9 per 100000 for men and
1.0 per 100000 for women; the incidence of dissection was 3.2 per 100
000 for both sexes. Prevalence and incidence of fatal complications of
TAA are low; this may influence decisions about where these patients
should be treated.