title: Unexpected limited chronic dissection of the ascending aorta.
abstract: We report a rare case of a limited chronic dissection of the ascending aorta that was accidentally discovered at operation performed for severe aortic stenosis and moderate to severe dilatation of the ascending aorta. Preoperative investigations such as transoesophageal echocardiography and cardiac catheterization missed the diagnosis of dissection. Intraoperative findings included a 3.5 cm eccentric bulge of the ascending aorta and a 5 mm circular shaped intimal tear comunicating with a limited hematoma or small dissection of the media layer. (The rarety of the report is that the chronic dissection is limited to a small area (approximatively 3.5 x 2.5 cm) of the ascending aorta).
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ospedale dell'Angelo, Via Paccagnella 11, 30174 Venezia - Mestre, Italy. andrventurini@libero.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zoffoli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mangino
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ascione
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terrini
authors.forename: Angiolino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asta
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: Elvio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polesel
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001027:Aortography; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans