Lethal acute aortic dissection complicated with ischemic bowels in the third trimester of pregnancy: A case report

Aortic dissection is a rare but lethal disease. We demonstrate a rare case of acute complicated Stanford type A aortic dissection in the third trimester.

A 41-year-old primiparous patient with chronic hypertension was brought to our emergency department at 34 weeks of gestation. She presented with acute tearing chest pain radiating to her back. Computed tomography revealed a Stanford type A aortic dissection. Primary cesarean section followed by open cardiovascular surgery was performed. However, ischemic bowels and bowel perforation occurred on the 9th and 11th postoperative days, respectively, and the patient died of septic shock on the 12th postoperative day.

Aortic dissection must be taken into consideration for pregnant women with chronic hypertension who present with acute tearing chest pain and pulseless unilateral extremities. Bowel ischemia may occur in patients with complicated Stanford type A aortic dissection.