Traumatic rupture of the aorta with ductus diverticulum: a case history

Traumatic rupture of the aorta is a life-threatening injury with an extremely high mortality rate if not promptly diagnosed and surgically repaired. Accurate diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion and the correct assessment of the angiographic features revealed by aortography. A case is presented that illustrates the angiographic findings in a patient with traumatic rupture of the aorta with an accompanying ductus diverticulum. A ductus diverticulum, which is located just distal to the aortic isthmus, can be confused with an aortic tear angiographically and vice versa. The case discussed demonstrates the difference between these two entities.