title: [Penetrating ascending aortic ulcer in an asymptomatic patient].
abstract: Penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) has been defined as an atherosclerotic plaque ulceration that breaks the internal elastic lamina of the aorta, which may progress to a wall hematoma or aortic dissection in the case of blood seeping into the middle layer. Although PAU is commonly located in the descending aorta, the involvement of the ascending aorta can be fatal. Therefore, surgery is indicated even in asymptomatic patients presenting an ascending PAU. We report on an asymptomatic patient with ascending PAU referred for replacement of the ascending aorta with a composite prosthetic graft.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayona
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vallejo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernández-Estefanía
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bastarrika
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rábago
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014456:Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis*