title: Is it descending thoracic aortic dissection?
abstract: Complex thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repairs are preferably done by a staged approach, using the elephant trunk procedure. Postoperatively, such patients can present as a diagnostic dilemma if subjected to radiologic diagnostic studies such as computerized tomographic (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thoracic cavity. The authors report a patient who presented with symptoms of chest pain and underwent CT scanning and subsequently MRI of the chest. Both scans were interpreted to be consistent with aortic dissection; however, the elephant trunk prosthesis was responsible for simulating a dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lafaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pucillo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed