Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Diagnosed by POCUS in a 29-year-old Man

Abstract

Aortic dissection (AD) is a medical emergency with a poor prognosis if not recognized early and treated promptly. In this setting, clinical data may be equivocal, while electrocardiogram, laboratory tests, and chest radiography often show nonspecific findings. In contrast, cardiac point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has proven useful in the diagnosis and detection of complications of AD. We present the case of a 29-year-old man with marfanoid habitus presenting with chest pain and acute heart failure, in whom cardiac POCUS aided in the rapid diagnosis of type A AD and pulmonary edema. POCUS contributed to optimizing the medical treatment and allowed for early activation of the surgical team.