What are the two classification schemes for aortic dissection?
The Stanford classification categorizes dissections into those involving the ascending aorta regardless of involvement of the descending aorta, and those involving the descending aorta only:
- • Type A: Ascending aorta involved with or without descending aorta.
- • Type B: Descending aorta only.
The DeBakey classification denotes three categories of aortic dissection: involvement of the ascending aorta alone, descending aorta alone, or both. A mnemonic for this system is BAD:
- • Type 1: Both ascending and descending aorta.
- • Type 2: Ascending aorta only.
- • Type 3: Descending aorta only.
Remember that the descending aorta is defined as that portion of the aorta distal to the takeoff of the left subclavian artery.
