[Surgical treatment of traumatic disruption of the thoracic aorta due to fall from 6 meters height tree; report of a case]

Kyobu Geka. 2004 Aug;57(9):877-80.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Disruption of the thoracic aorta due to blunt chest trauma is highly lethal and requires emergent operative intervention. A successful operative treatment of traumatic disruption of the thoracic aorta is reported. A 44-year-old male was admitted to our hospital following a fall from 6 m height tree. Four hours after accident, chest X-ray film demonstrated mediastinal widening. Chest helical computed tomography (CT) scanning demonstrated mediastinal hematoma, left pleural effusion and partial descending aortic dissection. Aortic disruption was diagnosed, and surgery for the thoracic aorta was performed emergently. The 2/3 of circumferentia of the aorta was found to be disrupted in the length of 2 cm, and it was replaced with a vascular prosthesis under partial cardiopulmonary bypass. We conclude that the enhanced chest helical CT scanning is helpful for diagnosis and that if other organ injuries are not critical, the emergent surgery should be required.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls*
  • Adult
  • Aneurysm, False / diagnostic imaging
  • Aneurysm, False / surgery*
  • Aorta, Thoracic / injuries*
  • Aortic Rupture / diagnosis
  • Aortic Rupture / surgery*
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation
  • Hematoma / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Diseases / etiology
  • Tomography, Spiral Computed
  • Wounds, Nonpenetrating / surgery*