Dilatation of ascending aorta in patients with repaired coarctation.

The long-term outcome following repair of typical aortic coarctation in adulthood may be complicated by disorders of the ascending aorta. Follow-up averaging 15 years revealed a 3.8% incidence of dilatation of the ascending aorta after such late repair. Hypertension and concomitant aortic valvular disease were common in these patients. Aortic dilatation can appear years after coarctation repair, irrespective of the operative technique and its success, and can lead to death from aortic dissection or rupture of an aortic aneurysm. Careful follow-up after coarctation repair in adulthood is advisable to detect late aortic complications.