[Intramural hematomas of the aorta]

Intramural hematomas (IMH) are regarded as a hemorrhage into the aortic wall. In general a traumatic form can de differentiated from a spontaneous non-traumatic. There is a predisposition of IMH with arterial hypertension and mesoectodermal dysplastic syndromes. The diagnosis is established with the clinical presentation in combination with the findings of different imaging modalities. Acute and subacute discomfort associated with a tendency of collaps are considered as typical presenting complaints. A semicircular or concentric thickening of the aortic wall with the absence of blood flow or a dissection membrane are typical findings in transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography. From a differential diagnostic point of view a distinction from atherosclerotic wall changes, intraluminal thrombi and inflammatory aortic diseases is essential. The IMH is considered as an early presentation of aortic dissection, put into and treated according to the Stanford classification. In the course of natural history an IMH can disappear, rupture or progress into a classic aortic dissection.