Abstract
Acute aortic dissection is a surgical emergency that requires accurate diagnosis and prompt management. A number of classifications exist, the simplest of which classifies aortic dissection according to the location of the entry point into: type “A” which involves all forms that include the ascending aorta and type “B” which does not involve the ascending aorta. While type “A” is always an emergency diagnosis and management, type “B” can be managed medically or conservatively. Mortality from type “A” dissection may be up to 60% within the first 24 h, 80% over the first 2 weeks and 90% within 3 months of acute attack. Dissection of the proximal ascending aorta can often be seen on transthoracic echo imaging, and even those involving the distal ascending aorta may occasionally be detected.
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An example from a patient with aortic dissection (short axis) showing a dissection fl ap moving freely in the lumen and changing its shape during the cardiac cycle
Dissection2_m.m1v (745 KB)
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Henein, M.Y., Sheppard, M., Pepper, J.R. (2012). Diseases of the Aorta. In: Henein, M. (eds) Clinical Echocardiography. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-521-5_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-521-5_13
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