Korean Circ J.  2009 Jun;39(6):258-260. 10.4070/kcj.2009.39.6.258.

A Patient With Dysphagia due to an Aortic Aneurysm

• Kim JH
• Jang SW
• Kim DB
• Lee HJ
• Kim JG
• Kwon BJ
• Cho EJ
• Rho TH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 1490703
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2009.39.6.258

Abstract

Dysphagia aortica is difficulty in swallowing caused by extrinsic compression of the esophagus due to an ectatic, tortuous, or aneurysmatic atherosclerotic thoracic aorta. This condition is very uncommon, and it is usually associated with old age, women with short stature, hypertension, and kyphosis. We report herein a case involving a patient with dysphagia who had an aortic aneurysm.

Keyword

Dysphagia; Aortic aneurysm

MeSH Terms

Aorta, Thoracic
Aortic Aneurysm
Deglutition
Deglutition Disorders
Esophagus
Female
Humans
Hypertension
Kyphosis

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The posteroanterior chest radiograph showed an enlarged, tortuous aorta.

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  Fig. 2 Chest computed tomography showed an enlarged thoracic aorta with an intramural thrombus at the level of the descending aorta. Note that the distorted esophagus was displaced to the anterolateral aspect of the descending aorta (arrow).

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  Fig. 3 The upper gastrointestinal barium study showed marked extrinsic compression of the distal esophagus just above the esophagogastric junction.

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