Presentation
Young female with resistant arterial hypertension.
Patient Data
The CTA shows focal narrowing of the descending thoracic aorta distal to the left subclavian artery. There are heavily calcified atherosclerotic plaques just proximal to the stenotic segment of the aorta. No post-stenotic dilatation.
Minimal dilatation of the bilateral internal mammary arteries.
The heart size is normal.
Red arrow indicates level of aortic coarctation.
Case Discussion
Aortic coarctation is an eccentric narrowing of the descending aorta at the level between the left subclavian artery and the ductus arteriosus.
It is characterized by a discrepancy between the upper and lower limbs pulses and systolic arterial pressure.
Surgical repair has been the treatment of choice for aortic dissection.