ASSESSMENT OF AORTA AND SUPRAAORTIC VESSE LS AFTER SURGICAL-CORRECTION OF AORTIC COARCTATION USING SPIRAL COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY

Aneurysm formation, restenosis, and hypertension are well known compli cations after surgery for coarctation of the aorta (CoA). In order to assess long-term results, 46 patients were studied by spiral computed tomography and three-dimensional reconstruction after an interval rang ing from 1 to 21 years (median 10 years) after surgery for coarctation . Spiral computed tomography showed pathological changes of the aorta in the majority of patients. Typical findings were ectasy or aneurysm formation of the ascending aorta, hypoplastic aortic arch, ectasy or a neurysm formation of the supraaortic vessels, circumscript aneurysm of the descending aorta at the side of surgery, restenosis of the descen ding aorta and malformations and anomalies of arterial vessels. In ord er to initiate adequate treatment of such specific complications as re stenosis, aneurysm and/or arterial hypertension, regular controls are necessary in patients after surgery for aortic coarctation. In additio n to clinical examination and besides magnetic resonance imaging and a ngiography, spiral computed tomography is an effective non-invasive im aging method for follow-up.