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Case Reports
. 2017 Nov 23:2017:bcr2016218766.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-218766.

Thoracic aortic transection resulting in a type B dissection following blunt trauma

Lance Fogleman  1 , Terrell Caffery  1 , Jeffrey Gruner  2 , Danielle Tatum  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Thoracic aortic transection resulting in a type B dissection following blunt trauma

Lance Fogleman et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 39-year-old man sustained an acute grade III aortic injury resulting in a type B aortic dissection in the setting of severe traumatic brain injury, cervical spine injury and multiple orthopaedic injuries following a motorcycle crash. The patient underwent an emergent thoracic endovascular aortic repair, complicated by a thoracic pseudoaneurysm rupture and ongoing exsanguination from a persistent type 1 endoleak. Additional stent grafts were required to gain control of the endoleak. The patient ultimately progressed to brain death post procedure in the intensive care unit. This case reviews treatment considerations in the context of a blunt thoracic aortic transection and distal dissection with concomitant polytrauma.

Keywords: cardiothoracic surgery; resuscitation; trauma; trauma cns /pns.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chest X-ray obtained in trauma bay showing widened mediastinum and left hemothorax versus contusion.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sagittal CT showing near occlusion of the descending thoracic aorta.
Figure 3
Figure 3
CT scan showing aortic dissection with significant compromise of aortic lumen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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