Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Exacerbation With Subsequent Pneumothorax and Aortic Dissection: A Case Report

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumothorax, and aortic dissection are all potentially life-threatening intrathoracic pathologies known for presenting with a chief complaint of shortness of breath. The following case involves a 74-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with acute dyspnea. He was found to have concurrent COPD exacerbation, pneumothorax, and aortic dissection. While pneumothorax is a known complication in older patients with underlying COPD, aortic dissection is an exceedingly rare complication. Healthcare providers should consider the possibility of concurrent multiple disease processes in the workup of acute shortness of breath.