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A type A aortic dissection involves the first part of the aorta, the ascending aorta, as it comes off the heart. It is a surgical emergency and is therefore repaired in the operating room. The surgery entails replacement of the dissected portion of the aorta with a Dacron tube. Even with successful repair, however, there are often portions of the aorta in other parts of the body that remain dissected or torn and require lifelong surveillance.
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