Ascending aortic rupture by blunt abdominal trauma

Traumatic ascending aortic rupture has been firmly associated with blunt thoracic trauma. Adding to the current understanding, we report a case of a patient without signs of external thoracic collision, who suffered a contained aortic rupture just distally of the sinotubular junction, due to severe blunt abdominal trauma. The increased intra-abdominal pressure ruptured the left hemidiaphragm and, presumably, led to the abrupt angulation and rupture of the proximal ascending aorta, sparing the rest of the aorta and the heart. The patient underwent an uneventful urgent aortic repair with a tubular graft, without total circulatory arrest. After a prolonged hospital stay, he was discharged.