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Complications

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

These will vary according to the site of the tear and the extent of the dissection.

  • neurological complications
    • more common in type A
    • include stroke, spinal cord ischemia, ischemic neuropathy, and hypoxic encephalopathy
  • syncope
    • seen in in 9% of patients
    • causes may include cardiac tamponade, aortic rupture, cerebral vessel obstruction, or activation of cerebral baroreceptors
  • cardiac complications - most frequently involved end organ
    • acute aortic regurgitation - common in type a dissections occurring in 41% to 76% of cases
    • acute myocardial infarction or coronary ischemia
      • may mask the diagnosis of dissection and delay the recognition and treatment of the condition or lead to inappropriate use of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy (1)
    • Pericardial tamponade
  • pulmonary complications - pleural effusion
  • gastrointestinal complications - mesenteric ischemia,
  • limb ischemia

Reference:

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