The patient, Ms. T.K.H (65 years old, Tam Binh district, Vinh Long province), was watching TV when she suddenly had chest pain, turned purple, vomited a lot, sweated, then fell and was taken to Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital for emergency treatment. The family said that the patient had a history of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Through examination and urgent paraclinical testing, the results of MSCT (coronary CT) scan of the chest determined that the patient had a dissection of the ascending thoracic aorta.
After consulting with the emergency cardiology department, the doctors diagnosed a type A thoracic aortic dissection with complications of pericardial effusion and acute cardiac tamponade with a very high risk of death.
After starting the extracorporeal circulation system to supply blood to the organs from the femoral artery and vein, stopping the heart with a special solution and completely isolating the thoracic aortic dissection site, a large hematoma was found blocking the aortic rupture on the pulmonary artery side, compressing the pulmonary artery.
The entire aortic dissection was excised, the patient's body temperature was gradually lowered to 25 - 28 degrees Celsius, and the circulatory support machine was stopped. The patient's entire heart and blood flow were completely stopped, the dissected artery and branches that feed the brain in the neck area were replaced with equivalent artificial blood vessels.
The emergency surgery lasted more than 5 hours and was successful, the patient's heart gradually warmed up and started beating again on its own.
After 7 days of active treatment, the patient's health improved, vital signs were stable, brain damage was not present, liver and kidney function was normal, and other indicators were not disturbed.
Specialist Doctor 2 Tran Phuoc Hoa - Head of Cardiovascular Surgery - Thoracic - Cardiac Resuscitation Department, Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital - said that aortic dissection is a dangerous condition that can cause immediate death if not detected and treated quickly.
Therefore, doctors recommend that people should proactively have regular health check-ups or when the body shows unusual signs, to detect diseases early, intervene promptly, and avoid unwanted complications; it is necessary to eliminate harmful living habits, control high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood fat well.
