Coarctation of the aorta

25 Coarctation of the aorta



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Fig. 25.1A This radiograph demonstrates inferior rib notching bilaterally. The diagnosis is coarctation of the aorta.



Background


Coarctation of the aorta does not usually present as an emergency but if you spot the abnormality it might make a big difference to the patient.


The pathology is narrowing of the aorta, usually just distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. This in turn causes increased afterload on the heart and heart failure (See Ch. 26). These patients also present with hypertension.


It may present with cardiac failure in childhood. In infants, increased left ventricular strain and left to right shunting of blood through a patent ductus arteriosus, which lies proximal to the coarctation, can lead to biventricular high output cardiac failure.


Coarctation may present with hypertension later in life and is a diagnosis that is difficult to make and is often missed.


It is also often associated with heart defects.

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Aug 20, 2016 | Posted by in ULTRASONOGRAPHY | Comments Off on Coarctation of the aorta

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