Live/Real Time Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Post Traumatic Acquired Thoracic Aortic Coarctation

We report a young patient with post traumatic acquired thoracic aortic coarctation in whom three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) demonstrated incremental value over two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DTTE). 3DTTE showed (1) en face views of the obstruction site that showed a markedly narrowed, roughly circular orifice measuring 0.33 cm2 in area, (2) echogenic tissue encroaching on the graft lumen consistent with fibrosis/thrombus, and (3) no graft protrusion into the aortic lumen, only hypermobility of the medial portion of the graft. These important findings were not detected by 2DTTE. (Echocardiography 2010;27:470‐472)

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