Pulmonary Artery Dissection: A Case Treated by Homograft Replacement

Abstract

Pulmonary artery dissection was diagnosed in a 32-year-old man who was admitted to the emergency department with intense chest pain. He had a history of pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty for congenital pulmonary stenosis at the age of 7 and no pulmonary hypertension. The operation was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass. The dissected pulmonary arterial trunk was removed with the distorted valve, and replaced with a pulmonary artery homograft. The postoperative course was uneventful. Histologic examination revealed medionecrosis. Pulmonary artery dissection is a rare but highly lethal pathology. In the absence of pulmonary hypertension, surgical treatment with homograft replacement can lead to excellent results.