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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
04:56
Modified Octopus Technique for Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Published on: August 1, 2025
Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an elite runner.
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa, OK, 74129, USA. susan-mehnert@OUHSC.edu.
The Physician and Sportsmedicine
|January 21, 2010
Summary
A chest pain diagnosis in athletes can be challenging. This case highlights how standard tests may miss serious conditions like thoracic aortic aneurysms in highly conditioned individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Athletes, particularly endurance athletes, often present with symptoms mimicking common cardiac conditions.
- Myocardial ischemia is a frequent concern in athletes experiencing exertional chest pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a case of a seemingly healthy athlete with atypical presentation of a life-threatening condition.
- To emphasize the importance of considering rare diagnoses in athletes with exercise-induced symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 41-year-old ultramarathon runner.
- Clinical presentation of exercise-related chest pain radiating to the left arm.
- Diagnostic workup including extensive testing.
Main Results:
- The patient, despite having only one risk factor, was diagnosed with a large thoracic aortic aneurysm.
- Standard diagnostic workup for myocardial ischemia did not initially identify the aneurysm.
Conclusions:
- Extremely well-conditioned athletes may present with conditions that mimic typical cardiac ischemia.
- Atypical presentations of potentially lethal conditions like thoracic aortic aneurysms can be missed by standard diagnostic protocols in athletes.
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