title: Acute Type A Aortic Dissection in a 37-Week Pregnant Patient: An Unusual Clinical Presentation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aortic dissection in pregnancy is relatively rare, but it is often fatal. The estimated incidence of aortic dissection in the general population is 2.9 per 100,000 person-years. Early recognition and treatment of aortic dissections are crucial for survival. Whereas the majority of patients who present with aortic dissection are older than 50 years of age and have a history of hypertension, younger patients with connective tissue disease, bicuspid aortic valves, or a family history of aortic dissection are also at increased risk for developing this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the successful diagnosis and surgical repair of an acute type A aortic dissection in a 35-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department (ED) at 37 weeks of gestation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians should be alert to the possibility of aortic dissection in any pregnant woman who presents to the ED with unexplained chest, abdominal, or back pain, even those without risk factors for aortic dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seokyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seoung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Kyug
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chan Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Euy Suk
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058748:Pain Perception; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
keywords: aortic dissection; pregnancy; risk factor; third trimester