Pathophysiology
Aortic dissection can occur as a result of
- a tear in the intima and subsequent propagation of blood in the media - more common
- intramural haemorrhage and haematoma formation in the media followed by perforation of the intima (1)
Aortic dissections are seen
- along the greater curvature of the aorta (usually within 10 cm of the aortic valve) - in majority of dissections
- in the descending thoracic aorta immediately distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery - the next most commonest site (1)
Presence of an intimal flap is the characteristic of aortic dissection (1).
Reference:
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.