Adult ; Aortic Rupture ; pathology ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; etiology ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Male

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is the most common pathology of the thoracic aorta. The incidence of TAA is increasing and the true incidence of TAA is likely to be higher than currently reported because of its inherently silent nature. TAAs are an increasingly recognized condition that is diagnosed incidentally on imaging studies performed to evaluate unrelated conditions because most patients with TAA have no symptoms. TAAs normally grow in an indolent manner, but can become rapidly lethal once dissection or rupture occurs. Indeed, aortic aneurysms (both abdominal and thoracic) represent the 15th leading cause of death in individuals older than 55 years, and the 19th leading cause of death in individuals of all ages in the United States. The etiologies underlying TAAs are diverse. Therefore, the evaluation and management of TAAs are complex. The present review summarizes the knowledge of the pathophysiology, natural history and diagnostic modalities, as well as current treatment strategies of TAA on the basis of current literature.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic* ; Cause of Death ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Natural History ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Rupture ; United States

Aortic intramural hematma(IMH) has been known as a variant of acute aortic dissection without intimal rupture. The clinical presentation mimics that of acute aortic dissection. IMH may progress to frank aortic dissection or aortic rupture. Therefore IMH maybe regarded as early sign of developing classic aortic dissection or a precipitating facter. there are Important two questions, The first is whether IMH truly represent a different pathology or simphy the precursor of the conventtional aortic dissection. The second is what the optimal mode of management of IMH is. In this study, To answer these questions, We retrospectively performed this study. Fifteen patients of IMH were included. We could follow 12 patients. Among them extention of IMH to type III aortic dissection has been observed in 2 cases(1 type A and 1 type B). One patients of type A underwent aortic graft stent deployment successfully. In the other patient of type B, who had a history of myocardial infarction and longstanding heart failure by that time, dissection developed at abdominal aorta with renal arterial involvement. The patient died of multiorgan failure despite intensive conservative managements. The remaining ten patients are alive with only medical care and with good clinical outcome. In conclusion we feel that conservative treatment of patients with IMH result in favorable outcome relatively even in the cases involving the ascending aorta. But more longterm follow-up of larger number of patients will provide better guidelines regarding the proper management of IMH.
Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Rupture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Stents ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: To explore the cause of death, clinical manifestations and forensic pathological features of death cases caused by aortic dissection. METHODS: Sixty-three cases of aortic dissection were selected from forensic medical center, Sun Yat-sen University from 2001 to 2011 and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The patients were mostly young and middle-aged male, aged from 30 to 49 years old. The DeBakey type II was the most common pathological type and the main cause of death was pericardial tamponade. The most common symptom was abdominal pain. However, the location of aorta dissection did not always correlate with the location of pain. Some cases showed no obvious clinical symptoms. The rupture was usually located in ascending aorta with atherosclerosis and pathological changes of hypertension. CONCLUSION It is significant for diagnosis and evaluation the cause of death of aortic dissection by knowing the clinical symptoms and forensic pathological features.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aortic Dissection/pathology* ; Aorta/pathology* ; Aortic Aneurysm/pathology* ; Aortic Rupture/pathology* ; Cardiac Tamponade/pathology* ; Death, Sudden/pathology* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the morphological features and forensic pathological characteristics of cardiac ruptures of different causes for their differential diagnosis. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 44 autopsy cases of cardiac rupture from 2014 to 2017 in our institute, including 11 cases caused by blunt violence with intact pericardium, 4 caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 9 by myocardial infarction, and 20 by aorta dissection rupture.The gross features and histopathological characteristics of cardiac rupture and pericardial effusion were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Cardiac ruptures caused by blunt violence varied in both morphology and locations, and multiple ruptures could be found, often accompanied with rib or sternum fractures; the volume of pericardial effusion was variable in a wide range; microscopically, hemorrhage and contraction band necrosis could be observed in the cardiac tissue surrounding the rupture.Cardiac ruptures caused by CPR occurred typically near the apex of the right ventricular anterior wall, and the laceration was often parallel to the interventricular septum with frequent rib and sternum fractures; the volume of pericardial blood was small without blood clots; microscopic examination only revealed a few hemorrhages around the ruptured cardiac muscular fibers.Cardiac ruptures due to myocardial infarction caused massive pericardial blood with blood clots, and the blood volume was significantly greater than that found in cases of CPR-induced cardiac rupture ( < 0.05);lacerations were confined in the left ventricular anterior wall, and the microscopic findings included myocardial necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and mural thrombus.Cardiac tamponade resulting from aorta dissection rupture was featured by massive pericardial blood with blood clots, and the blood volume was much greater than that in cases of cardiac ruptures caused by blunt violence, myocardial infarction and CPR ( < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and lateral thrombi around the cardiac rupture, along with pericardial blood clots, are all evidences of antemortem injuries.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; complications ; Aortic Aneurysm ; complications ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; adverse effects ; Forensic Pathology ; Heart Rupture ; etiology ; pathology ; Heart Rupture, Post-Infarction ; pathology ; Humans ; Myocardial Contusions ; complications

Trauma and non-traumatic aortic pathologies such as infective endocarditis, syphilis, fenestrated aortic valves, valves with myxomatous transformation, cystic medionecrosis of the aorta, and inherited disorders of connective tissue may occasionally lead to a rupture of the aortic valve. Among the causes of the rupture of the aortic valve, the non-traumatic aortic valve commissural rupture is extremely rare. The aortic valve rupture typically results in a rapidly progressive heart failure and frequently, death. Therefore, early diagnosis is followed by an immediate operation is necessary. The purpose of this article is to report the first successful operation in Korea of a 44-year-old male patient with acute aortic regurgitation due to non-traumatic rupture of the aortic valve commissure.
Adult ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency* ; Aortic Valve* ; Connective Tissue ; Early Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Pathology ; Rupture* ; Syphilis

The rupture of an acute dissection of the ascending aorta into the space surrounding the pulmonary artery is an uncommon occurrence. No previous cases of transient pulmonary hypertension caused by a hematoma surrounding the pulmonary artery have been documented in the literature. Herein, we report a case of acute aortic dissection presenting as secondary pulmonary hypertension.
Aortic Aneurysm/*complications/diagnosis ; Aortic Rupture/*complications/diagnosis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Hematoma/*complications ; Human ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/*etiology ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Artery/pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: To study the epidemiological and pathological features of sudden death （SD） in Yunnan Province and to provide scientific evidence for prevention and forensic identification of sudden death. METHODS: Totally 363 SD cases were collected from the autopsies between 2009 and 2017 in the Forensic Centre of Kunming Medical University. The related factors such as etiology, age, inducing factor, time interval between the onset of disease and death, morbidity season and pathological change were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The incidence of SD in males was significantly higher than that of females. The peak age was ≥35-55 years. The mortality rate was relatively high within 6 h after the onset of disease. The season order with descending number of deaths was spring, summer, winter and autumn. The top ten causes of SD were coronary heart disease, sudden unexplained death （SUD）, cerebral hemorrhage, acute hemorrhagic necrotic pancreatitis, aortic dissection rupture, cardiomyopathy, pneumonia, pulmonary thromboembolism, amniotic fluid embolism and allergy. Exercise, infusion, surgery, medication and minor injury were the most common predisposing factors of sudden coronary death. Consciousness disorder or coma, chest pain or chest tightness, and abdominal pain were the most common premortem symptoms of sudden coronary death. CONCLUSIONS The SD is more common in middle-aged males, which is the key population for the prevention of SD. For the forensic identification and prevention of SD, the attention on SUD should be paid.
Adult ; Aortic Rupture ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; China/epidemiology* ; Death, Sudden/pathology* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/pathology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

Rupture of the sinus of Valsalva is an extremely rare complication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Because it usually results from the retrograde extension of a dissection of the right coronary artery and may quickly spread to involve the entire aorta, it can cause life-threatening complications such as aortic dissection. If the dissection remains localized, it can resolve spontaneously in the first month. Our patient experienced a delayed rupture of the right sinus of Valsalva into the right atrium at approximately 3 months after PCI.
Aged ; Angioplasty, Transluminal, Percutaneous Coronary/*adverse effects ; Aortic Rupture/*etiology ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Atria/*pathology ; Humans ; Male ; *Sinus of Valsalva ; Time Factors