Identification of painless aortic dissection before thrombolytic treatment for acute ischemic stroke

We reported a 57-year-old man with acute right hemisphere watershed ischemic stroke caused by painless type A aortic dissection was diagnosed in time with computed tomographic (CT) angiography. The possible detrimental impact which may have been incurred by thrombolytic therapy was avoided. We suggest that cerebral CT angiography, covering from the aortic arch to intracranial arteries, should be performed in acute ischemic stroke patients, particularly in those with watershed CT perfusion deficits, to exclude the possibility of aortic dissection before thrombolytic treatment.
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research