CASE REPORT   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2021 September;180(9):488-92

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.04248-7

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Acute aortic dissection: an old problem, the same emergency

Cristina P. MARTINS ✉, Rita REIGOTA, Joana B. CARDOSO, João D. MELO, Pedro M. RIBEIRO

Department of Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra - Hospital Geral, Coimbra, Portugal

Acute aortic dissection is a disruption of the medial layer of the aorta that results in a separation of the aortic wall layers, with formation of a true and a false lumen. It is a medical emergency with a high mortality, partly due to its challenging diagnosis and delayed treatment. A high index of clinical suspicion is necessary to reach the diagnosis, since the clinical picture can often mimic other more common conditions. We report the cases of three man that presented to the emergency department with acute aortic dissection, with different symptoms, but all with a successful outcome.

KEY WORDS: Aorta; Emergency service, hospital; Case reports