Pericarditis was the primary manifestation of aortic dissection in these 2 young men.
Both patients had no phenotypic characteristics of Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
These patients had pleuritic chest pain and characteristic electrocardiographic changes
consistent with pericarditis. However, timely performed transthoracic echocardiograms
revealed proximal aortic dissection with hemopericardium noted at surgery in both
cases. Although the sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiogram for proximal aortic
dissection is approximately 60%, certain findings can alert the physician to the possibility
of aortic dissection. Therefore, in young patients with suspected pericarditis, a
timely performed transthoracic echocardiogram should include a careful evaluation
of the ascending aorta and arch to rule out this lethal diagnosis.
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References
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Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
May 16,
2007
Received:
May 7,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
