title: Acute type A aortic dissection with cardiac tamponade: unexpected late survival without aortic surgery.
abstract: Acute type A aortic dissection complicated by cardiac tamponade portends a lethal prognosis. We report the unusual case of an older female who unexpectedly survived for more than one year after presentation with acute dissection and tamponade. She was treated with a pericardial window and remains alive now four years after presentation.
authors.affiliation: Lynn Heart and Vascular Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, Florida; Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jerzewski
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulik
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques / Q000401:mortality; D013534:Survival; D013997:Time Factors; D016312:Treatment Refusal