Korean Circ J.  2011 Mar;41(3):156-159. 10.4070/kcj.2011.41.3.156.

Aortic Dissection and Rupture in a Child

• Jo YJ
• Lee EJ
• Oh JW
• Moon CM
• Cho DK
• Cho YH
• Byun KH
• Eun LY

• KMID: 2225131
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2011.41.3.156

Abstract

After developing sudden severe chest pain, an 11-year-old boy presented to the emergency room with chest pain and palpitations and was unable to stand up. The sudden onset of chest pain was first reported while swimming at school about 30 minutes prior to presentation. Arterial blood pressure (BP) was 150/90 mmHg, heart rate was 120/minute, and the chest pain was combined with shortness of breath and diaphoresis. During the evaluation in the emergency room, the chest pain worsened and abdominal pain developed. An aortic dissection was suspected and a chest and abdomen CT was obtained. The diagnosis of aortic dissection type B was established by CT imaging. The patient went to surgery immediately with BP control. He died prior to surgery due to aortic rupture. Here we present this rare case of aortic dissection type B with rupture, reported in an 11-year-old Korean child.

Keyword

Children; Chest pain; Aorta; Aneurysm, disseching; Aortic rupture

MeSH Terms

Abdomen
Abdominal Pain
Aorta
Aortic Rupture
Arterial Pressure
Chest Pain
Child
Dyspnea
Emergencies
Heart Rate
Humans
Rupture
Swimming
Thorax

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The chest X-ray was normal on admission.

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  Fig. 2 Multi-detector CT image of type B aortic dissection. A: entry (arrow) and reentry (arrow) tears. B: image illustrates the extension of dissection through the left iliac artery. C: focal short segment of severe stenosis of left iliac artery was noted due to the extension of the dissection.

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  Fig. 3 The final chest X-ray turned out to show total haziness of left thorax.

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