title: Blunt traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta: a report of an unusual mechanism of injury.
abstract: Classic teaching suggests that blunt thoracic aortic rupture (BTAR) results from high-speed deceleration injury mechanisms. Our recent experience with a patient who sustained fatal aortic rupture resulting from a low-speed crushing injury emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for BTAR, even in patients with "low-risk" injury mechanisms. Several potential pathophysiologic mechanisms of BTAR are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Answini
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sturdevant
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sing
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000293:injuries; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012421:Rupture; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*