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Case Reports
. 2001;28(2):149-51.

Acute dissecting aneurysm of the ascending thoracic aorta causing obstruction and thrombosis of the right pulmonary artery

E Neri  1 , T Toscano, L Civeli, G Capannini, E Tucci, C Sassi
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acute dissecting aneurysm of the ascending thoracic aorta causing obstruction and thrombosis of the right pulmonary artery

E Neri et al. Tex Heart Inst J. 2001.

Abstract

We present the case of a 69-year-old man with a history of hypertension and a recent pelvic fracture who presented with acute chest pain, shortness of breath, and severe hypotension. The history of recent pelvic fracture and the clinical manifestations, including the sudden onset of acute respiratory distress, hypotension, and hypoxemia, indicated pulmonary embolism; however, at surgery the patient was found to have an acute dissection of the ascending aorta with obstruction and thrombosis of the right pulmonary artery. This case emphasizes the need to consider such a diagnosis in patients who have unilateral absence of perfusion to the right lung.

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Figures

None
Fig. 1 Pulmonary angiogram showing occlusion of the right pulmonary artery and its branches. In the right main pulmonary artery, the reduction of contrast filling is the result of compression of the artery by the dilated ascending aorta.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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