Aortic Dissection Flashcards
What is an aortic dissection?
tear in the innermost layer of the aorta (intimate)
Most aortic dissections are ascending or descending?
ascending
Ascending aortic dissections have a high….
mortality
What is the most important predisposing factor to an aortic dissection?
HTN
What disorder has a higher likelihood of developing an aortic dissection?
Marfans
What will chest pain be like?
sudden onset, severe, tearing/ripping/knife like in chest and upper back
What are some other s/s of dissections?
N/V
Where will the chest pain be in an ascending dissection?
anterior chest
Where will pain be in aortic arch dissection?
neck/jaw
Where will pain be in a descending dissection?
intrascapular pain
What will pulses be like?
decreased, variation in pulse btw. r. and l. arm**
What is the classic CXR finding?
widened mediastinum but 10% may have normal CXR
What is the test of choice?
CT scan w. contrast
What is the gold standard?
MRI angiography: preferred if hemodynamically stable
What is the surgical management?
acute proximal (debakey I and II) or acute distal (type III) w. complications
