Dissection of the thoracic aorta following cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Abstract

An 86-year-old patient was admitted to the ICU with multiple trauma injury following a fall down ten stairs. Shortly after ICU admission the patient went into cardiac arrest and resuscitation efforts, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), were initiated. Transesophageal echocardiogram was performed to guide therapy and, after regaining heart rhythm and blood pressure, the echocardiogram exam demonstrated critical aortic stenosis and type-B aortic dissection. The aortic dissection was not present on initial chest computerized tomography done on admission to the hospital. The aortic dissection appears to have resulted from the CPR performed to revive the patient. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.