title: Blunt traumatic abdominal aortic rupture: CT imaging.
abstract: Blunt abdominal aortic trauma is a rare but potentially lethal event. It is commonly associated with high-speed motor vehicle accidents. Intimal flap, thrombosis, and pseudoaneurysm of the abdominal aorta are the more common findings. We present a case of blunt abdominal aortic trauma in which CT disclosed free aortic rupture with intraabdominal bleeding and a huge retroperitoneal hematoma, an extremely rare finding among patients reaching the hospital alive, due to its high and immediate mortality rate.
authors.affiliation: Cardiopulmonary Science Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Santa Maria della Misericordia, P.le S.Maria della Misericordia, 15, 33100 Udine, Italy. gnucifora@cardionet.it
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nucifora
authors.forename: Fjoralba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hysko
authors.forename: Annarosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasciaveo
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*