Dissected Thoracic Aorta Masked as Seizures: A Case Report

Background: Aortic dissection (AoD) is a life-threatening medical emergency characterized by the separation of the layers of the aortic wall. The typical clinical presentation of AoD includes intense thoracic pain in the anterior chest or interscapular region, often described as migratory and tearing in nature. However, in rare cases, AoD can present without classic signs but with neurological symptoms, including seizures. Case Presentation: A 60-year-old patient experienced a sudden loss of consciousness followed by a tonic-clonic seizure and subsequently developed right-sided weakness. He had a medical history of hypertension and smoking. Although the symptoms quickly resolved, the brain imaging revealed signs of an acute ischemic stroke located in the left hemisphere. The seizures resumed, blood D-dimer levels were found to be highly elevated, and subsequent thoracic and abdominal computed tomography angiography revealed the presence of AoD, which originated at the proximal part of the ascending aorta. The patient received symptomatic treatment to alleviate his symptoms and prevent complications and was quickly transferred for surgical intervention, resulting in a favorable outcome. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that a tonic-clonic seizure can be the first clinical manifestation of AoD. Such atypical symptoms highlight the diverse and misleading nature of AoD presentations, underscoring the challenges in the diagnostic process. This emphasizes the need for increased clinical vigilance when treating a patient experiencing their first seizure episode.