Repair of aortic transection associated with ductal diverticular aneurysm

A 14-year-old girl involved in a motor vehicle accident sustained an acute traumatic aortic transection at the site of a congenital ductal diverticular aneurysm. Aortic transection is a lethal injury that is uncommon in children. A ductal diverticular aneurysm is a rare congenital lesion, formed when the ductus arteriosus fails to close with aneurysmal formation at the aortic isthmus. Diagnosis, management, and pathophysiology of both lesions are discussed.