1004 AN UNUSUAL, UNAVOIDABLE BUT SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF TYPE A AORTIC DISSECTION. A CASE REPORT


 
 
 Cardiac tamponade complicates 18,7% of patients with type A aortic dissection and is associated with dramatically worse outcome and a nearly doubling of in-hospital mortality. Immediate surgical repair with intra-operative pericardial drainage is the treatment of choice. Nevertheless, the management of unstable patients who cannot undergo cardiac surgery in short time is controversial.
 
 
 
 Here we present a case report of an 82-year woman with type A aortic dissection complicated by cardiac tamponade. The patient alerted the emergency system because of a sudden epigastric pain. On her arrival to the hospital, her systolic blood pressure was 50 mmHg; despite intravenous fluids and inotropic support, she remained hypotensive. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed an intimal flap involving ascending aorta and aortic arch, and a hemodynamically significant pericardial effusion. Immediate surgical repair was not possible due to the lack of available operating rooms. To stabilize the patient, percutaneous pericardiocentesis from apical approach was attempted, unsuccessfully. A second attempt of percutaneous pericardiocentesis was made from substernal approach, with removal of just 150 cc of pericardial fluid and insertion of a pigtail drainage catheter. Thanks to this procedure systolic blood pressure raised up to 100 mmHg and the patient was stabilized. A CT Angiography scan was performed, showing an aortic dissection extending from the aortic valvular plane to the origin of the right iliac artery. The patient maintained hemodynamical stability until surgical intervention, which started four hours later her arrival. The patient underwent substitution of ascending aorta, aortic hemiarch, non-coronary sinus and aortic valve. There were no complications related to the pericardial drainage and in 34th post-operative day she was discharged in good condition.
 
 
 
 Percutaneous pericardiocentesis should be considered in unstable patients with type A dissection complicated by cardiac tamponade who cannot await surgical treatment, providing that very small amount of pericardial fluid is removed, in order to maintain systolic blood pressure around 90 mmHg.
