European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 9, 99-101, Copyright © 1995 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
Aortic arch dissection from patent ductus arteriosus
R Hussain and DA Luke
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St. James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
An unusual case of aortic arch dissection from a patent ductus arteriosus
(PDA) is described. An adult man had been diagnosed as suffering from
pectus excavatum and PDA 10 years before. At that time the pectus was
repaired, but he failed to return for surgery on the PDA and the
sub-sternal strut for pectus repair was also never removed. Recently he was
admitted in a peripheral hospital with chest infection. Patent ductus
arteriosus murmur was audible on clinical examination. The chest X-ray
showed a widened mediastinum and the pectus strut. On further
investigations dissection of the aortic arch was discovered and arch
replacement performed.