title: A fatal outcome of thoracic aortic aneurysm in a male patient with bicuspid aortic valve.
abstract: Thoracic aortic aneurysm is often an asymptomatic but potentially lethal disease if its most catastrophic complication - aortic dissection - occurs. Thoracic aortic dissection is associated with a high mortality rate despite ongoing improvement in its management. We report a fatal outcome of thoracic aortic aneurysm in a male patient with bicuspid aortic valve. The patient was qualified for elective surgery of the ascending aorta and aortic valve at the age of 39 but he did not agree to undergo the proposed procedure. Three years later, he experienced acute aortic dissection and died despite a prompt diagnosis and complex management.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Screening Studies in Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Blanka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Milanowska
authors.affiliation: Unit for Screening Studies in Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Michałowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Eugeniusz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.affiliation: Intensive Cardiac Therapy Clinic, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konopka
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Congenital Heart Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klisiewicz
authors.affiliation: Unit for Screening Studies in Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Teresa Bilińska
keywords: acute aortic dissection; thoracic aortic aneurysm