Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism and chronic aortic dissection: A surgery challenge

Abstract

Abstract Acute aortic dissection and acute pulmonary embolism are both life-threatening emergencies. The presented case is of a 70-year-old patient with chronic aortic dissection, an incidental finding in the pulmonary tomography during the study of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. Initially, it was considered to carry out the two simultaneous procedures but considering her age and the fact that she had a chronic aortic dissection without root dilation, it was concluded that she had more risk than benefit from carrying out the aortic replacement procedure. For this reason, it was decided to perform only a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, resulting in a short hospital stay with subsequent outpatient control and symptomatic improvement. This was achieved with good pre-surgical planning and without carrying out a mixed procedure with high morbidity and mortality.