Svensson Class IV Ascending Aortic Dissection, Often Confused With Penetrating Ulcer

We present the case of a 64 years old male patient who had recently suffered an infective aortic valve endocarditis (Streptococcus agalactiae) complicated by embolic arthritis of the right hip. Initial echocardiography revealed moderate aortic insufficiency developed on a tricuspidaortic valve with a small vegetation (5 mm × 4 mm) on the left coronary cusp. Furthermore, ananeurysmal dilatation of the ascending aorta (maximal diameter, 54 mm) was noted. Other heartvalves and left ventricular function were considered normal. The patient completed a 4 weekscourse of antibiotherapy, and the right hip arthritis was treated by drainage and synovectomy.The patient was subsequently referred to surgery on an outpatient basis for the aneurysm of theascending aorta. Preoperative computed tomography showed localized aortic dissection of thetubular ascending aorta characterized by an intimal tear without medial hematoma but excentricbulging of the aortic wall. This lesion was initially considered a penetrating ulcer of the aortic wallThe operative specimen allowed to make differential diagnosis with a penetrating aortic ulcer byshowing that the lesion did not develop within an atherosclerotic plaque. However, downstreamextension of the dissection was probably limited by the presence of transmural calcifications on itsdistal side. The patient underwent successful complete aortic root replacement using a stentlessFreestyle bioprosthesis with Dacron graft extension as reported previously.