[Spontaneous rupture of the thoracic aorta]

A case was presented of spontaneous rupture of the descending aorta through an atheromatous plaque without aneurysm or aortic dissection at the site of rupture. A 65 year-old-female with past history of well controlled hypertension developed chest pain along with hypovolemic shock. The patient underwent emergency CT examination which revealed left pleural effusion. There were no signs of a false lumen or aneurysm. At surgery a 5 mm of perforation in the mid portion of descending aorta was found to be surrounded by a large hematoma. The perforation was successfully plicated with predget-supported sutures. Spontaneous rupture of thoracic aorta is a rare, life-threatening condition for which emergency diagnostic and therapeutic measures are indicated. Only 7 cases could be found in the review of the literature, and this is the first reported case in this country.