Aortic dissection: DeBakey type 1 / Stanford type A

Case contributed by Aliakbar Sahraei
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Known case of hypertension who came with acute tearing chest pain.

Patient Data

Age: 60
Gender: Male

CTA of the chest demonstrates an aortic dissection. A dissection aortic flap is seen extending from the aortic valve, arising in the ascending aorta and spirals along the whole aorta. The flap extends into the upper scanned common iliac arteries.

Case Discussion

CTA of the chest demonstrates an aortic dissection extending from the aortic valve, around the arch and down into the abdomen. Involvement of the ascending aorta constitutes a DeBakey type 1 or Stanford A, and places the patient at risk of rupture into proximally leading to either cardiac tamponade or catastrophic aortic regurgitation 1.

Approximately 60% of dissections involve the ascending aorta (Stanford A / DeBakey I and II) 2.

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