Early Aortic Repair Worsens Concurrent Traumatic Brain Injury

The timing of repair of blunt aortic injury in patients with concomitant traumatic brain injury is controversial.  This single institution retrospective review analyzed outcomes in 75 pts with blunt aortic injury and traumatic brain injury, comparing early repair (<24 hrs after admission) to delayed repair.  Pts undergoing early repair suffered worsening of traumatic brain injury regardless of whether repair was open or endovascular, whereas delayed repair pts did not suffer progression of traumatic brain injury.  Early repair was also associated with increased morbidity and mortality.