Spontaneous Rupture of a Nonaneurismatic Ascending Thoracic Aorta

Abstract

Spontaneous rupture of the ascending thoracic aorta without any history of aneurysm, trauma, infection, dissection, or previous surgery is a very rare and potentially lethal event. We report a case of spontaneous rupture of the ascending aorta treated successfully. While the etiology is still unclear, diagnosis with bedside transesophageal echocardiography prompted emergent surgical intervention.

Emergency Endografting for Spontaneous Thoracic Aortic Rupture

“…Spontaneous or idiopathic rupture of the thoracic aorta without any history of aneurysm, dissection, infection, inflammation, trauma, or connective tissue disorder is rarely reported. 1,2) There have been sporadic reports of sudden death due to this condition since the consequences can be catastrophic and survival is rare. Yokoyama et al 1) reviewed 18 patients with this disease and reported that arteriosclerosis was the most common etiology, as present case.…”

Spontaneous rupture of the ascending aorta

“…2 Spontaneous ascending aortic rupture occurring without prior aortic or connective tissue disease is a rare and unpredictable phenomenon with only 40 cases reported in literature. 3 The aortic diameter does not always correlate with the risk of rupture in these patients. Aortic dimensions change throughout life according to gender, segment, and body morphology that complicates the ability to reliably predict a "point of rupture" for ascending aortic disease.…”

“…The rate of rupture for untreated thoracic aortic aneurysm ranges from 21% to 74% . Spontaneous ascending aortic rupture occurring without prior aortic or connective tissue disease is a rare and unpredictable phenomenon with only 40 cases reported in literature . The aortic diameter does not always correlate with the risk of rupture in these patients.…”