Atrioventricular block complicating dissecting aneurysm of the aorta

A 67-year-old patient who presented with acute dissecting aneurysm of the aorta was complicated by progressive transient atrioventricular heart block. Post-mortem examination findings confirmed the diagnosis of dissection of the ascending aorta and revealed an interatrial haemorrhage in the area of the septal atrioventricular junction.