Case Report: Are We Witnessing an Increase of Chronic Ascending Aortic Dissection as a Collateral Effect to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

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State: Public
Version: author
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_8048F523D2F2
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Case report (case report): feedback on an observation with a short commentary.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Case Report: Are We Witnessing an Increase of Chronic Ascending Aortic Dissection as a Collateral Effect to the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Journal
Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine
Author(s)
Lyon A., Gunga Z., Niclauss L., Rancati V., Tozzi P.
ISSN
2297-055X (Print)
ISSN-L
2297-055X
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
8
Pages
645135
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Case Reports
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is reducing health care accessibility to non-life-threatening diseases, thus hiding their real incidence. Moreover, the incidence of potentially fatal conditions such as acute type A aortic dissection seems to have decreased since the pandemic began, whereas the number of cases of chronic ascending aortic dissections dramatically increased. We present two patients whose management has been affected by the exceptional sanitary situation we are dealing with. Case report: A 70-year-old man with chest pain and an aortic regurgitation murmur had his cardiac workup delayed (4 months) because of sanitary restrictions. He was then diagnosed with chronic type A aortic dissection and underwent urgent replacement of ascending aorta and aortic root. The delay in surgical treatment made the intervention technically challenging because the ascending aorta grew up to 80 mm inducing strong adhesions and chronic inflammation. The second case report concerns a 68-year-old woman with right lower-limb pain who was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. However, a CT scan to exclude a pulmonary embolism could not be realized until 5 months later because of sanitary restrictions. When she eventually got the CT scan, it fortuitously showed a chronic dissection of the ascending aorta. She underwent urgent surgery, and the intervention was challenging because of adhesions and severe inflammation. Conclusion: Delayed treatment due to sanitary restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the management of potentially life-threatening conditions including type A aortic dissection. We should remain careful to avoid COVID-19 also hitting patients who are not infected with the virus.
Keywords
COVID−19, aortic surgery, ascending aorta, chronic aortic dissection, delayed management
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
21/05/2021 17:49
Last modification date
08/07/2021 6:36
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