Remodelling of the aorta after a catheter-induced acute aortic dissection

Abstract

Iatrogenic acute aortic dissection during percutaneous coronary intervention is an extremely rare but critical complication. Although sealing the entry point with a coronary stent is an option to treat localized dissections, more extensive cases may require surgical intervention. We present a case of Type A aortic dissection that occurred during an angioplasty of a chronically occluded right coronary artery. Despite the extent of the dissection, a 'watch-and-wait' strategy was chosen, and repeated imaging a few days later revealed that the aorta had been remodelled to its normal anatomy.

Keywords: Iatrogenic aortic dissection; Percutaneous coronary intervention; Remodelling.