Seeing the invisible: painless aortic dissection in the emergency setting

Acute dissection of the aorta can be one of the most dramatic cardiovascular emergencies. Classically, aortic dissection presents as sudden, severe chest, back, or abdominal pain that is characterised as ripping or tearing in nature. However, a timely diagnosis can be elusive in the event of an atypical presentation. In this report, the authors present two patients with painless aortic dissection who were misdiagnosed during their initial evaluation in the emergency department.     

Transthoracic Contrast Echocardiographic Detection of Ascending Aortic Dissection

BACKGROUND: Ascending aortic dissection is highly lethal if left untreated. Therefore rapid accurate diagnosis is necessary. Diagnosis can be made with imaging modalities that use contrast agents to delineate anatomy reliably. Transthoracic echocardiography has not routinely been diagnostically useful because of the inability in clearly visualizing the ascending aorta. METHOD AND RESULTS: We describe a case in which transthoracic echocardiography with an echocardiographic contrast agent provided diagnostic information regarding an acute ascending aortic dissection, delineating both the true and false lumens. CONCLUSIONS: Transthoracic echocardiography combined with an echocardiographic contrast agent can be useful in detecting an ascending aortic dissection.     

44例主动脉夹层临床分析

目的 探讨主动脉夹层患者的患病危险因素、临床特征、诊治方法及预后.方法 对我院2005-2008年诊治的44例主动脉夹层患者临床资料进行回顾性分析.结果 主动脉夹层发生的常见病因是高血压.首发表现以胸痛为常见(部分病例以并发症为首发).CT和MRI检查对主动脉夹层的确诊率较超声检查高,但由于超声检查价格便宜,床旁操作方便,故有疑诊患者,可做常规超声检查.主动脉夹层的治疗有内科保守治疗,外科手术治疗和血管内带膜支架治疗.结论 高血压是主动脉夹层的主要危险因素,其临床表现复杂多变,误诊率高.内科治疗时血压控制多需多种降压药物联合应用,然而根据临床分型和病情采取外科手术、介入治疗可降低病死率和改善患者的预后.     

44例主动脉夹层临床分析

目的 探讨主动脉夹层患者的患病危险因素、临床特征、诊治方法及预后.方法 对我院2005-2008年诊治的44例主动脉夹层患者临床资料进行回顾性分析.结果 主动脉夹层发生的常见病因是高血压.首发表现以胸痛为常见(部分病例以并发症为首发).CT和MRI检查对主动脉夹层的确诊率较超声检查高,但由于超声检查价格便宜,床旁操作方便,故有疑诊患者,可做常规超声检查.主动脉夹层的治疗有内科保守治疗,外科手术治疗和血管内带膜支架治疗.结论 高血压是主动脉夹层的主要危险因素,其临床表现复杂多变,误诊率高.内科治疗时血压控制多需多种降压药物联合应用,然而根据临床分型和病情采取外科手术、介入治疗可降低病死率和改善患者的预后.     

44例主动脉夹层临床分析

目的 探讨主动脉夹层患者的患病危险因素、临床特征、诊治方法及预后.方法 对我院2005-2008年诊治的44例主动脉夹层患者临床资料进行回顾性分析.结果 主动脉夹层发生的常见病因是高血压.首发表现以胸痛为常见(部分病例以并发症为首发).CT和MRI检查对主动脉夹层的确诊率较超声检查高,但由于超声检查价格便宜,床旁操作方便,故有疑诊患者,可做常规超声检查.主动脉夹层的治疗有内科保守治疗,外科手术治疗和血管内带膜支架治疗.结论 高血压是主动脉夹层的主要危险因素,其临床表现复杂多变,误诊率高.内科治疗时血压控制多需多种降压药物联合应用,然而根据临床分型和病情采取外科手术、介入治疗可降低病死率和改善患者的预后.     

Acute thoracoabdominal aortic dissection presenting as painless, transient paralysis of the lower extremities: a case report

Acute dissection of the aorta can be one of the most dramatic of cardiovascular emergencies. Its symptoms can occur abruptly and progress rapidly. Prompt recognition and appropriate intervention is crucial. However, not all aortic dissections present with classic symptoms of abrupt chest, back, or abdominal pain, and the diagnosis may be missed. A 63-year-old woman presented with transient loss of lower extremity motor and sensory function as the only symptom of an acute thoracoabdominal aortic dissection. Aortic dissection presenting as a transient neurologic syndrome is quite unusual. The sudden onset of weakness and parasthesia can result from the interruption of blood flow to the spinal cord. These symptoms of acute spinal cord ischemia, suggestive of a serious cardiovascular event, must be recognized and thoroughly investigated.     

Aortic dissection: a dreaded disease with many faces

Aortic dissection is a relatively uncommon but catastrophic illness classically thought to present with acute, sharp, chest pain with radiation to the back. However, aortic dissection can manifest in a number of different ways that include congestive heart failure, inferior myocardial infarction, stroke, focal pulse and neurologic deficits, abdominal pain, or acute renal failure. According to some studies, only about 80% of patients with type A dissection present with severe anterior chest pain, and only about 60% describe their pain as being sharp. Another series reports that treating clinicians fail to initially entertain the diagnosis of aortic dissection in up to 35% of cases. Many patients later found to have aortic dissection are initially suspected to have other conditions such as acute coronary syndrome, pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, or even cholecystitis. In this article we present a case of an unusual presentation of aortic dissection and a review of this condition.     

Acute Aortic Regurgitation with Myocardial Infarction: An Important Clue for Aortic Dissection

Background

Aortic dissection is an important cause of acute chest pain that should be rapidly diagnosed, as mortality increases with each hour this condition is left untreated. The diagnosis can be challenging, especially if concomitant myocardial infarction is present. Echocardiography is an important tool for the differential diagnosis.

Objectives

To stress the importance of recognizing aortic regurgitation for the differentiation of myocardial infarction and aortic dissection.

Case Report

An 80-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with chest pain that was diagnosed as inferior and lateral wall myocardial infarction based on electrocardiographic findings. The diagnosis was reevaluated when aortic regurgitation was detected on echocardiography. Closer inspection of the ascending aorta revealed a dissection flap as the cause of aortic regurgitation.

Conclusion

Detection of aortic regurgitation in a patient with myocardial infarction and normal valves should prompt the search for a possible aortic dissection, whether or not the dissection flap can be visualized.     

主动脉夹层的临床病理特点及CT临床诊断

目的分析主动脉夹层的临床特征、病因及CT对主动脉夹层的临床诊断。方法对我院收治的57例主动脉夹层患者资料进行回顾性分析,总结主动脉夹层的临床病理特点,并对CT平扫和CT血管成像扫描检查主动脉夹层结果进行对比。结果主动脉夹层患者临床症状主要表现为突发性疼痛52例(91.2%)以及高血压48例(84.2%),57例患者中Stanford A型39例,Stanford B型18例,DebakeyⅠ、Ⅱ型27例,DebakeyⅢ型30例;CT血管成像的检出率显著高于CT平扫检出率(χ2=4.940,P0.05)。结论主动脉夹层是以一种高致死性疾病,高血压可能为其主要诱发因素,CT平扫及CT增强扫描有较高的敏感性和特异性,能够对主动脉夹层进行快速准确的诊断。     

32例主动脉夹层的临床特征与治疗

【目的】研究主动脉夹层的临床特征与治疗。【方法】对32例主动脉夹层患者症状、体征、实验室检查及影像学资料进行回顾性分析。【结果】突发胸背剧痛、血压增高、新出现主动脉瓣关闭不全杂音、血压脉搏不对称、休克及上纵隔影增宽是该病的常见表现与诊断线索。超声心动图、CT扫描和MRI可提供主动脉夹层诊断的可靠证据。【结论】早期诊断和积极正确处理主动脉夹层是降低病死率、改善预后的关键。     

Headache as the initial manifestation of acute aortic dissection type A

The most common initial symptom of aortic dissection is chest pain. Other initial symptoms include pain in the neck, throat, abdomen and lower back, syncope, paresis, and dyspnoea. Headache as the initial symptom of aortic dissection has not been described previously. A 61-year-old woman with a history of migraine and arterial hypertension developed continuous bifrontal headache. Two hours later, right-sided thoracic pain and a diastolic murmur were suggestive of aortic dissection that was confirmed by echocardiography and subsequent surgery. The dissection commenced in the ascending aorta and involved all cervical arteries until the base of the skull. Headache as the initial manifestation of aortic dissection was assumed due to either vessel distension or pericarotid plexus ischemia. Aortic dissection has to he considered as a rare differential diagnosis of frontal headache, especially in patients who develop aortic regurgitation or chest pain for the first time.     

急诊床旁超声心动图在急重症心血管疾病中应用

目的探讨急诊床旁超声心动图检查在急重症心血管疾病诊断中价值。方法回顾性分析188例行急诊床旁超声心动图检查的急重症心血管疾病患者的临床资料。结果超声心动图诊断与临床诊断相符161例,其中单纯急性心肌梗死14例,非急性心肌梗死后左心功能不全44例,急性心肌梗死合并左心功能不全20例,心包积液47例,慢性肺源性心脏病7例,A型主动脉夹层4例,肺栓塞11例,主动脉瓣狭窄2例,心肌炎2例,肥厚型心肌病6例,风湿性心脏病合并左心房血栓3例,主动脉窦瘤破裂1例,诊断符合率为85．6％。结论急诊床旁超声心动图在急重症心血管疾病的早期诊断中有重要价值。     

Painless aortic dissection presenting with acute ischaemic stroke and multiple organ failure

Acute aortic dissection is an uncommon, life‐threatening catastrophe, and early diagnosis is essential for the best chance of survival. Although acute onset of severe chest or back pain is the most common presenting symptom, some patients might present with atypical symptoms and findings such as acute stroke and mesenteric ischaemia related to the involving arterial segment. Establishing the diagnosis of aortic dissection can be difficult in the presence of atypical symptoms, especially in the absence of pain. Here, we report a case of acute, painless aortic dissection presenting with multiple organ failure and neurological deficits suggesting acute ischaemic stroke.     

SPONTANEOUS CERVICAL EPIDURAL HAEMATOMA

Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma can occur in the elderly and is a reversible cause of neurological deficit if treated promptly. The diagnosis can be made from a careful history and a simple neurological examination, but it can be confused with myocardial infarct, musculoskeletal pain, vasculitis and acute dissection of an aortic aneurysm. For a favourable outcome, early decompressive laminectomy and evacuation of the haematoma are necessary. We report an unusual case of acute quadriplegia in which prompt diagnosis and early intervention led to almost complete functional recovery with minimal disability.     

Syndrome de Marfan et réanimation

Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic disease, dominant autosomal, leading to fragility of aortic wall and other tissues. The main risk is aortic dissection and this risk is proportional to aortic dilation, so that it can be prevented by regular aortic follow-up with echocardiography, beta-blockade, and prophylactic aortic surgery. Nevertheless, aortic dissection has to be looked for using echocardiography, NMR or CT scanner if a doubt exists. A pneumothorax can also be responsible for chest pain. Other emergencies are ophtalmological. Because of aortic wall fragility, blood pressure variations have to be avoided as much as possible. Modern management has led to a substantial increase in the life expectancy of these patients.     

Taming the zebra: Unravelling the barriers to diagnosing aortic dissection

Aortic dissection is a lethal cardiovascular emergency that continues to pose a diagnostic dilemma to the emergency physician. The condition is rare, can present atypically and is associated with a cumulative mortality for every hour that passes. While it is a recognised differential of acute chest pain, its prevalence in comparison to other causes often leads to the diagnosis being overlooked. The ED is a busy environment with high patient turnover and varying degrees of complexity and acuity. This increases susceptibility to cognitive bias and error‐producing conditions that can lead to delayed or missed diagnosis. In reported cases where aortic dissection has been missed, clinician awareness of the disease was not the primary issue but failure to respond to clinical cues suggestive of aortic dissection was. To improve patient outcomes for this condition, it is important for clinicians to be aware of pertinent cognitive bias and error‐producing conditions.     

MSCT血管成像在主动脉粥样硬化及主动脉瘤和夹层诊断中的应用价值

目的：探讨多层螺旋CT血管成像在主动脉粥样硬化及主动脉瘤和夹层诊断中的应用价值。方法：对63例疑有主动脉病变的患者行6层螺旋CT主动脉增强血管成像扫描，然后将数据送工作站作多平面重建（MPR）、曲面重建（CRP）、容积再现（VRT）、最大密度投影法（MIP）和仿真内窥镜重建（VE）。结果：63例病人中，正常者7例，异常者56例。异常病例中单纯主动脉钙化4例，主动脉粥样硬化52例，并发主动脉瘤5例，并发主动脉夹层7例。结论：多层螺旋CT主动脉血管成像对诊断主动脉粥样硬化及主动脉瘤和夹层诊断具有快速、准确、创伤小等优点，可作为诊断主动脉病变的首选检查方法之一。     

Pericarditis as initial manifestation of proximal aortic dissection in young patients

Pericarditis was the primary manifestation of aortic dissection in these 2 young men. Both patients had no phenotypic characteristics of Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. These patients had pleuritic chest pain and characteristic electrocardiographic changes consistent with pericarditis. However, timely performed transthoracic echocardiograms revealed proximal aortic dissection with hemopericardium noted at surgery in both cases. Although the sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiogram for proximal aortic dissection is approximately 60%, certain findings can alert the physician to the possibility of aortic dissection. Therefore, in young patients with suspected pericarditis, a timely performed transthoracic echocardiogram should include a careful evaluation of the ascending aorta and arch to rule out this lethal diagnosis.     

Stanford A型主动脉夹层患者保守治疗的护理

总结StanfordA型主动脉夹层患者保守治疗的护理要点。对9例未能进行手术治疗而采取药物保守治疗的StanfordA型主动脉夹层患者进行临床观察和护理。结果3例患者经内科保守治疗后好转出院,其余6例病情恶化死亡或放弃治疗。认为对于采取保守治疗的StanfordA型主动脉夹层患者,积极药物治疗,控制血压、心率,有效镇痛,预防并发症,是提高患者生存率的关键。     

Thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm following noncardiovascular surgery: a rare complication that can mimic common chest emergencies

Pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta is an extremely rare and potentially fatal condition that can mimic acute coronary syndrome, aortic dissection, or pulmonary embolism. Chest trauma and aortic surgery are the usual predisposing factors. Rarely, noncardiovascular thoracic surgeries can result in aortic pseudoaneurysm secondary to unrecognized perioperative injury. Clinical presentation is very variable, and a high index of suspicion is necessary for diagnosis. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography is the preferred diagnostic test. In this paper, we report the case of a 58-year-old woman who presented with atypical chest pain due to a thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm, most likely a result of previous nonvascular surgery.