Abstract
Background: The objective of this study was to assess the course of rehabilitation of patients hospitalized in the cardiac rehabilitation unit after surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection, extending beyond the ascending aorta, and comparing these findings with those for patients who, after the same type of surgery, had no remaining dissection. The aim was to develop an optimal cardiac rehabilitation model for this patient population, given the lack of clear guidelines. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate their one-year survival. Methods: The study included patients referred to the cardiac rehabilitation unit after surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection extending beyond the ascending aorta (a total of 25 patients). The study group was compared with a cohort of patients (a total of 58) who underwent similar cardiac surgery. The main difference was the absence of residual aortic dissection. All patients were assessed on admission to the cardiac rehabilitation unit and at discharge using the 6-min walk test and the Tinetti test. All patients underwent 2-3 weeks of rehabilitation following the same protocol; however, the study group had significantly reduced exercise loads. Results: Patients in the study group were admitted to the cardiac rehabilitation unit in a significantly worse functional status compared to the comparison group, but the final assessment showed comparable results for the Tinetti test and the 6-min walk test. There were no differences in one-year survival between the two groups. Conclusions: Early postoperative cardiac rehabilitation in patients after acute aortic dissection significantly improves the functional status of this patient group, and is safe.