Professional paper

Dehiscence of a valved aortic conduit as a delayed complication of the blunt chest trauma

Dražen Zekanović ; Opća bolnica Zadar, Odjeljenj za kardiologiju, Zadar, Hrvatska
Vedran Carević ; Sveučilišni bolnički centar, Odjel kardiologije
Krešimir Čaljkušić ; Sveučilišni bolnički centar Split, Odjel za neurologiju, Split, Hrvatska
Tonči Batinić ; Sveučilišni bolnički centar Split, Odjel za radiologiju, Split, Hrvatska
Zorislav Šušak ; Opća bolnica Zadar, Odjeljenje za kardiologiju
Damir Fabijanić orcid.org/0000-0002-4199-3905 ; University Hospital Split, Division of Cardiology, Spničićeva 1, 23 000 Split
Robert Karlo ; General Hospital Zadar, Department of Surgery

Abstract

A 65-year old man with bileaflet mechanical aortic prosthesis and a Dacron tubular aortic graft was admitted at the Department of Neurology due to transient ischemic attack. Seven months before admission, he had suffered a car accident with blunt thoracic trauma. A chest X-ray and transthoracic echocardiogram performed at the time of the accident reported no abnormalities. At admission, he was presented as a asymptomatic, hemodynamically stable patient. However, echocardiography showed dehiscence of the valved aortic conduit from the native aortic annulus at the proximal anastomosis site, and free communication between the left ventricular outflow tract and the periconduit cavity. The patient was referred to a cardiac surgeon.
Unfortunately, he experienced sudden death before the scheduled operation. Our case suggests that, because of delayed development of pseudoaneurysm and conduit dehiscence, echocardiography follow-up is recommended in patients after Bentall reconstruction within several months after the blunt chest trauma.

Keywords

aorta; valved aortic conduit; dehiscence; echocardiography; chest; blunt trauma

Hrčak ID:

83891

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/83891

Publication date:

4.6.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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