What is a traumatic aortic injury?
Traumatic aortic transection, also known as aortic rupture, is the near-complete tear through all the layers of the aorta due to trauma such as that sustained in a motor vehicle collision or a fall. This condition is most often lethal and requires immediate medical attention.
What are signs of an aortic injury?
Typical signs and symptoms include:
- Sudden severe chest or upper back pain, often described as a tearing or ripping sensation, that spreads to the neck or down the back.
- Sudden severe stomach pain.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Shortness of breath.
What is the most common site of aortic injury?
The aortic isthmus is the most common site of blunt aortic injury, with autopsy series reporting just over half of all cases affecting this site (Burkhart et al., 2001). Multiple sites of aortic injury occur not infrequently, affecting up to one in five patients (Burkhart et al., 2001).
How do you treat aortic injury?
The initial resuscitation and management of blunt aortic injury includes placement of two large-bore peripheral intravenous catheters for fluid resuscitation and medications to lower the blood pressure to limit the extent of the injury.
What happens if your aorta is cut?
As the tear extends along the wall of the aorta, blood can flow in between the layers of the blood vessel wall (dissection). This can lead to aortic rupture or decreased blood flow (ischemia) to organs.
Can aortic dissection heal itself?
The dissection may slowly heal on its own or cause a rupture in the aortic wall. Depending on the size, such a rupture can kill someone instantly or within a couple of days.
What happens when your aorta is cut?
Can you bruise the aorta?
Intramural hematoma is a bruising of the aortic wall. This can occur during trauma or may be due to spontaneous bleeding within the wall of the aorta. This process also weakens the aorta, leading to aneurysm formation or dissection.
Can you survive a severed aorta?
Less than one half of people with a ruptured aorta survive. Those who survive will need lifelong, aggressive treatment of high blood pressure. They will need to be followed up with CT scans every few months to monitor the aorta.
What is blunt chest trauma?
Blunt chest trauma is usually caused by motor vehicle accident, falling from height, blunt instrument injury and physical assault. As a result of chest trauma, many injuries may occur, such as pulmonary injuries, and these require urgent intervention.