This case illustrates how High-frequency Ultrasound Imaging (HFUS) can be used to identify or locate aortic dissections. Early discovery and precise location of this highly critical incident can be very significant to the outcome of the procedure.
Identifying aortic dissection with HFUS
Intraoperative completion control with HFUS
The Image 1 shows an aortic dissection on the proximal vessel wall. The high resolution in the ultrasound images generated by the MiraQ system and the HFUS probe makes it easy to see the medial layer dissection.
In this case, the dissection happened during cannulation of the aorta. The dissection had to be treated in the same way as a spontaneous dissection with cooling of the patient, arresting the heart and replacement of the aorta.
The left and center images show the patient’s aorta imaged in 2D mode. The dissection is clearly visible in the leftmost image and annotated for easy reference in the middle image. The image on the right shows the aorta imaged in Color mode. Although the dissection is clearly visible in 2D mode the CFM images confirm the issue and also show where the cannula has ruptured the intimal layer and blood is entering the false lumen.
Case attachments
Click images below to view.
HFUS showing the dissection
Reference
Case example by Professor Rune Haaverstad, Haukeland University hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Technology used
Medistim MiraQ™ Cardiac System with L15 High-Frequency Ultrasound Probe.
