Mechanisms of aortic regurgitation in aortic dissection

Aortic regurgitation is second most common cause of death in acute aortic dissection, most common cause being aortic rupture. It may occur in up to three fourths of cases of Stanford Type A aortic dissection. There are several mechanisms for aortic regurgitation in aortic dissection:

Dilatation of the aortic root and annulus
Tearing of aortic annulus or cusps of the aortic valve
Displacement of aortic cusps in relation to each other, interfering with closure
Loss of support for aortic cusps
Intimal flap interfering with closure of aortic cusps

Those with severe aortic regurgitation secondary to acute aortic dissection present with acute left ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock. Pericardial tamponade may also be associated if the dissection ruptures into the pericardial sac.
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Source: Cardiophile MD - June 9, 2015 Category: Cardiology Authors: Prof. Dr. Johnson Francis, MD, DM, FACC, FRCP Edin, FRCP London Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs