2009 Volume 38 Issue 4 Pages 244-247
This study reports a 38-year-old man who suffered traumatic thoracic aorta injury due to a fall accident during mountain climbing, and was saved by swift helicopter transport and emergency surgery. Approximately 2 h after the accident, the subject was brought to the hospital by the emergency helicopter transport service. Contrast-enhanced CT of the thorax and abdomen revealed leakage of the contrast medium from the aortic isthmus and a hematoma in the surrounding area. Thus, traumatic thoracic aorta injury was diagnosed and emergency surgery was performed. The patient went into a state of shock after being given anesthesia. Further rupture was diagnosed and a left fourth intercostal thoracotomy was performed immediately in order to control the hemorrhage. Concurrently, a partial cardio-pulmonary bypass was used. A lacerated foramen was observed across 1/3 of the lesser curvature of the aortic isthmus ; the affected site was replaced by a prosthetic graft. The postoperative recovery was generally uneventful, and the patient was discharged from the hospital 30 days after the operation.
