Thrombosed dissection of the ascending aorta complicating extravasation

This report presents 2 patients with thrombosed dissection of the ascending aorta complicating extravasation. The first case was an 85-year-old male admitted with shock due to cardiac tamponade. Plain computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a dilated ascending aorta without clear evidence of aortic dissection. The second case was a 77-year-old female presenting with shock, in whom an enhanced CT scan demonstrated a dilated ascending aorta and periaortic effusion. However, dissection of the distal ascending aorta was not identified in either case before emergency surgery. In case 1, soon after the bloody pericardial effusion was decompressed during the operation, bleeding from the ascending aorta occurred. A small intimal tear was found in the distal ascending aorta, and in each case the pseudolumen was filled with fresh thrombus. The ascending aorta was replaced. Each patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery. Based on this experience, it is suggested that patients with thrombosed ascending aortic dissection complicating extravasation should undergo early graft replacement.