Surgery>>>>>Thoracic Aneurysms and Aortic Dissection
Question 7#

The most common presenting symptom in patients with an ascending thoracic aneurysm is:

A. Anterior chest pain
B. Posterior chest pain
C. Aortic valve insufficiency
D. Sudden death

Correct Answer is A

Comment:

Initially, aneurysmal expansion and impingement on adjacent structures causes mild, chronic pain. The most common symptom in patients with ascending aortic aneurysms is anterior chest discomfort; the pain is frequently precordial in location but may radiate to the neck and jaw, mimicking angina. Aneurysms of the ascending aorta and transverse aortic arch can cause symptoms related to compression of the superior vena cava, the pulmonary artery, the airway, or the sternum. Rarely, these aneurysms erode into the superior vena cava or right atrium, causing acute high-output failure.