1 Result(s) for 'Loius Sacicciioli'
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Dilated Accessory Hemiazygos Vein Mimicking Aortic Dissection in Setting of Absent Left Brachiocephalic Vein
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Krunal H Patel, Vaibhavi Uppin, Harshith Chandrakumar, Yuvraj Singh Chowdhury, Jonathan Ramalho, Basil Elamir, Loius Sacicciioli , Harjinder Gill, Sarah Hennis, Samy I. McFarlane
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American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2021 9 (2). doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-9-2-7
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Keywords: aortic dissection, transesophageal echocardiogram, hemiazygos vein, brachiocephalic vein, congenital vascular anomaly
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Context: Although uncommon, aortic dissection can be rapidly fatal with a 20% out-of-hospital mortality which increases at a rate of 1 to 3% every hour [1]. An expeditious diagnosis of acute aortic dissection is therefore imperative. One of the most advantageous diagnostic modalities utilized in the setting of acute aortic dissection is a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). In an acute setting, TEE is preferred because of its ability to provide a timely and definitive diagnosis [2]. Despite its diagnostic convenience, clinicians must be aware that there are several entities that may mimic aortic dissection. One of these entities includes a dilated accessory hemiazygos vein. In this report, we present a case of a 66-year-old woman who was found to have a possible Stanford type B dissection in the descending thoracic aorta on a TEE exam in the context of work up prior to an elective electrophysiology study and ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. CT angiography, however, revealed a dilated accessory hemiazygos vein, a rare congenital vascular anomaly that could potentially mimic aortic dissection leading to misdiagnosis and potentially unnecessary interventions.
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