User:Mr. Ibrahem/Aortic rupture

Aortic rupture is break through the entire wall of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Symptoms may include sudden and severe abdominal pain, chest pain, or back pain. Other symptoms may include lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or trouble swallowing.

Causes include trauma (either blunt or penetrating) or a complication of an aortic aneurysm (either abdominal or thoracic). Diagnosis is by medical imaging, typically CT scan. It is distinct from aortic dissection, which is a tear through only the inner wall of the aorta.

Prevention includes the repair of aneurysms before rupture occurs. Once rupture has occurred, for a chance of survival, immediate surgery is required. Most (85%) die immediately, while of those who survive to hospital, about 30% subsequently die despite treatment.

Aortic rupture is relatively common. It contributes to up to 20% of deaths due to motor vehicle collisions. Early descriptions date back to 1557 by Andreas Vesalius.