Address for correspondence:
Amedeo Anselmi, MD, PhD
Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Pontchaillou University Hospital – Rennes, France
E-mailamedeo.anselmi@chu-rennes.fr
Telephone: 00 33 2 99 28 24 16
WORD COUNT: 1,513
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None.
Abstract
Type A dissection complicated by cerebral malperfusion and coma may pose
decision-making challenges. We describe the case of a patient who
presented coma in the context of acute type A aortic dissection, without
cardiac tamponade. Brain MRI was performed 4 hours after the onset of
symptoms to evaluate the brain perfusion and viability. We discuss the
potential role of the currently available emergency brain MRI as an
additional tool in the workup of aortic dissection, and its potential to
discriminate between irreversible brain injury and brain viability.
KEY WORDS: Aortic dissection; Stroke; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Glossary
CPB Cardiopulmonary Bypass
CT-scan Computed Tomography scan
ECC Extracorporeal Circulation
HCA Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest
IRAD International Registry of Aortic Dissection
MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
NIRS Near Infrared Spectroscopy
TAAD Type A acute Aortic Dissection