title: Aortic dissection with fistula to right atrium after heart transplantation: diagnosis by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: Aortic dissection with rupture into the right atrium is an extremely rare and rapidly fatal condition that may occur after cardiac surgery. We report the case of a 59-year-old woman with a 6-year history of heart transplantation who presented with subacute illness characterized by chest pain and severe cardiac decompensation accompanied by a continuous murmur in the precordium. The diagnosis of aortic dissection complicated by right atrial fistula was made by the combination of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic examination.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Medico Chirurgico di Cardiologia, Seconda Università, Ospedale Monaldi, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iarussi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Materazzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dialetto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Covino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bossone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cotrufo
mesh_terms: D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*