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Case Reports
. 2020 Jul 2;2020(6):rjaa193.
doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjaa193. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Pneumatic-aorta: an unusual aetiology for stroke

Khurum Mazhar  1 , Aditya Narain  1 , Saifullah Mohamed  1 , Akshay J Patel  1   2 , Qamar Abid  1 , George Bouras  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pneumatic-aorta: an unusual aetiology for stroke

Khurum Mazhar et al. J Surg Case Rep. .

Abstract

The following report describes a case in which air in the aorta led to stroke from cerebral emboli in a patient with distal oesophageal cancer. The patient presented with clinical features of a right-sided stroke. Computed tomography scans revealed air in the ascending aorta and brachiocephalic artery as a result of an oesophago-atrial fistula. The patient deteriorated and died soon after hospital admission despite conservative measures successfully dissipating the air. When encountered, emergent treatment of the underlying cause should be addressed but the outcome remains poor.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Initial non-contrast enhanced axial CT scan of the thorax. (A): The arrow shows lower oesophageal perforation with cavity containing air and debris in the posterior mediastinum. (B): The arrow shows migration of oesophageal stent into the stomach. A second non-contrast enhanced axial CT scan of the thorax showed air in the ascending aorta (C), brachiocephalic artery (D) and (E) right coronary artery (red arrow) and posterior descending artery (yellow arrow). A final contrast-enhanced axial CT scan of the thorax (prone position) shows loss of the fat plane at the junction of the oesophageal tumour and left atrium.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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