A ductus remnant confounding the diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury in a 13-year-old adolescent boy.
Anatomical variants can pose diagnostic dilemmas for the clinician and may confound critical decision making for traumatic thoracic aortic injuries. With significant morbidity and mortality for both the injury and the therapeutic options in the pediatric population, an accurate diagnosis is essential for a good outcome. Knowledge of both the anatomical variant as well as the potential injury is required for a precise diagnosis. Highlighting these concepts, we present the case of a 13-year-old trauma patient with a possible blunt thoracic aortic injury. A suspected intimal aortic tear on computed tomography angiography proved to be a ductus remnant, which did not require intervention.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Henry L
HL
Chang
Anthony M
AM
Savo
Gary R
GR
Seabrook
David M
DM
Gourlay
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000293:injuries*; D001027:Aortography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004373:Ductus Arteriosus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012272:Ribs / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D012540:Scapula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*