Is pulmonary artery dissection predictable?

Iatrogenic pulmonary artery dissection in patient with ostium secundum interatrial septum defect

Pulmonary artery dissection is a rare and lethal condition. Few cases are reported in the literature, and most are derived from autopsies. In most cases, pulmonary artery dissection is a complication of chronic pulmonary hypertension leading to pulmonary artery aneurysm but there are other causes. We describe a case of iatrogenic pulmonary artery dissection in an elderly patient with ostium secundum defect. In particular, we describe the role of cardiac magnetic resonance in making this diagnosis and guiding future therapeutic decisions.

Pulmonary Artery Dissection Post-blunt Thoracoabdominal Trauma

Background

Pulmonary artery dissection is a rare condition that is usually diagnosed in patients exhibiting chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension, congenital heart abnormalities or secondary to iatrogenic injury. Diagnosis is often made at autopsy as many patients experience sudden death when the pulmonary artery dissection progresses rapidly and ruptures into the pericardium, resulting in acute cardiac tamponade.

Case Presentation

We report a case of pulmonary artery dissection, which resulted from blunt thoracic trauma diagnosed in the emergency department.