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OBJECTIVES Few reports on the outcomes of patients treated for Stanford type A acute aortic intramural haematoma (TAAIMH) and retrograde thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection exist. This study aimed to evaluate their long-term results and predictors of adverse outcomes. METHODS We retrospectively analysed 40 patients with TAAIMH and retrograde thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection. All patients underwent urgent surgery on presentation of life-threatening complications. Before discharge, 18 patients underwent open aortic surgery, and 22 were treated with medical therapy alone. Clinical features of these patients and image appearances were reviewed, and the relationship with overall survival, aortic events, and aortic death was investigated. RESULTS The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.5% (1 patient) with medical therapy alone and 11.1% (2 patients) with surgical intervention. No patient with initial medical therapy required urgent surgery for life-threatening complications beyond 3 days of admission. The overall survival and aortic death-free survival rates at 1, 5 and 10 years were 85.0%, 72.5% and 59.8% and 90.0%, 81.6% and 77.1%, respectively. TAAIMH associated with penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) was a risk factor of aortic events (P = 0.020) and significantly influenced aortic death-free survival (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Urgent surgery for complicated TAAIMH and retrograde thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection patients and initial medical therapy for uncomplicated patients show favourable long-term survival rates. TAAIMH is frequently associated with PAU; PAU enlargement is common. Although PAU can remain stable for years, it is a strong predictor of poor prognosis. For optimal long-term results, surgical repair is recommended for TAAIMH associated with PAU.

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