Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Blunt traumatic injury of the ascending aorta: multidetector CT findings in two cases

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Emergency Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Blunt ascending aortic injuries are rare in clinical practice. We have encountered two types of injuries to the ascending aorta with multidetector computed tomography: (1) a tear of the wall of the aortic root with a contained rupture and associated hemopericardium and (2) a tear at the level of the aortic valve cusp without associated hemopericardium. In reviewing our experience with aortic trauma at our institution under IRB waiver of consent, we encountered two cases of ascending aortic rupture that illustrate the two injury patterns. We present these two cases to alert radiologists to the multidetector computed tomographic findings of this life-threatening injury.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Parmley LR, Thomas WM, Manion WC, Jahnke EJ (1958) Nonpenetrating traumatic injury of the aorta. Circulation 17:1086–1101

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Symbas PJ, Horsley WS, Symbas PN (1998) Rupture of the ascending aorta caused by blunt trauma. Ann Thorac Surg 66:113–117

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Iannettoni MD, McCurry KR, Rodriguez JL, Williams DM, Deeb GM, Bolling SF (1994) Simultaneous traumatic ascending and descending thoracic aortic rupture. Ann Thorac Surg 57:481–484

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pretre R, LaHaarpe R, Cheretakis A, Kursteiner K, Khatchatourian G, Didier D, Faidutti B (1996) Blunt injury to the ascending aorta: three patterns of presentation. Surgery 119(6):603–610

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hilgenberg AD, Logan DL, Akins CW, Buckley MJ, Daggett WM, Vlahakes GJ, Torchiana DF (1992) Blunt injuries of the thoracic aorta. Ann Thorac Surg 53:233–238

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cressman EN, Winer-Muram HT, Farber J (2004) Traumatic intrapericardial ascending aortic rupture: CT appearance. J Thorac Imaging 19(1):45–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lancey RA, Davliakos GP, Vander Salm TJ (1995) Simultaneous repair of multiple traumatic aortic tears. Ann Thorac Surg 60(4):1120–1121

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Catoire P, Bonnet F, Delauna L, Liu N, Beydon L, Romano P, Guerrini P, Reynaud P (1994) Traumatic laceration of the ascending aorta detected by transesophageal echocardiography. Ann Emerg Med 23(2):356–359

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Patel NH, Stephens KE Jr, Mirvis SE, Shanmuganathan K, Mann FA (1998) Imaging of acute thoracic aortic injury due to blunt trauma: a review. Radiology 209:335–348

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Downing SW, Sperling JS, Mirvis SE, Cardarelli MG, Gilbert TB, Scalea TM, McLaughlin JS (2001) Experience with spiral computed tomography as the sole diagnostic method for traumatic aortic rupture. Ann Thorac Surg 72:495–502

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Goarin JP, Cluzel P, Gosgnach M, Lamine K, Coriat P, Riou B (2000) Evaluation of transesophageal echocardiography for diagnosis of traumatic aortic injury. Anesthesiology 93:1373–1377

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lick SD, Zwischenberger JB, Mileski WJ, Ahmad M (1997) Torn ascending aorta missed by transesophageal echocardiography. Ann Thorac Surg 63:1768–1770

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gilkeson RC, Markowitz AH, Balgude A, Sachs PB (2006) MDCT evaluation of aortic valvular disease. AJR Am J Roentgenol 186(2):260–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James G. Ravenel.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steenburg, S.D., Ravenel, J.G. & Ikonomidis, J.S. Blunt traumatic injury of the ascending aorta: multidetector CT findings in two cases. Emerg Radiol 13, 217–221 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-006-0538-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-006-0538-0

Keywords

Navigation