CC BY 4.0 · Aorta (Stamford) 2014; 02(06): 289-292
DOI: 10.12945/j.aorta.2014.14-029
Case Report
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Crater-Like Ulceration of Aortic Arch

Caterina Simon
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
,
Alice Calabrese
2   Division of Cardiology, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
,
Gianluca Canu
3   Division of Vascular Surgery, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
,
Maurizio Merlo
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
,
Lorenzo Galletti
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

15 April 2014

25 September 2014

Publication Date:
24 September 2018 (online)

Abstract

We report the case of a 78-year-old female who presented to our hospital with signs of hemorrhagic shock and breathlessness. A transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated pericardial effusion. Computed tomography of the chest showed a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the aortic arch with an intramural hematoma of the ascending and descending aorta. Endovascular repair with stent-grafting was urgently performed and a pericardial window placement was done to reduce mediastinal bleeding.

 
  • References

  • 1 Shennan T. Dissecting aneurysms. Medical Research Council. Special Report Series, No. 193. 1934
  • 2 Stanson AW, Kazmier FJ, Hollier LH, Edwards WD, Pairolero PC, Sheedy PF. , et al. Penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers of the thoracic aorta: natural history and clinicopathologic correlations. Ann Vasc Surg 1986; 1: 15-23 . 10.1007/BF02732450
  • 3 Coady MA, Rizzo JA, Hammond GL, Pierce JG, Kopf GS, Elefteriades JA. Penetrating ulcer of the thoracic aorta: what is it? How do we recognize it? How do we manage it?. J Vasc Surg 1998; 27: 1006-1016 . 10.1016/S0741-5214(98)70003-5
  • 4 Ganaha F, Miller DC, Sugimoto K, Do YS, Minamiguchi H, Saito H. , et al. Prognosis of aortic intramural hematoma with and without penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer: a clinical and radiological analysis. Circulation 2002; 106: 342-348 . 10.1161/01.CIR.0000022164.26075.5A
  • 5 Nathan DP, Boonn W, Lai E, Wang GJ, Desai N, Woo EY. , et al. Presentation, complications, and natural history of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer disease. J Vasc Surg 2012; 55: 10-15 . 10.1016/j.jvs.2011.08.005