A patient with acute aortic dissection presenting with bilateral stroke - A rare experience

Acute aortic dissection is a rare, life-threatening condition requiring early recognition and proper treatment. Although chest pain remains the most frequent initial symptom, clinical manifestation of aortic dissection varies. Rarely aortic dissection starts with neurological symptoms such as ischemic stroke, which is usually right-sided. A danger of performing thrombolytic therapy in these patients exists if aortic dissection is overlooked. Herein, we present a case of a patient with acute aortic dissection without typical chest pain whose initial manifestation was bilateral stroke. The uncommon presentation which masked the underlying condition delayed implementation of appropriate management. Moreover, the late admission to hospital prevented the patient from administration of recombined tissue plasminogen activator that would certainly decrease chances of survival. Presented case highlights the need for thorough physical examination at admission to hospital in all patients with acute stroke and points out the necessity of proper clinical work-up including adequate aorta imaging modalities of patients with acute stroke and suggestive findings of aortic dissection.