Delayed rupture of spontaneous tear of the ascending aorta--report of two fatalities.

A spontaneous tear of the ascending aorta, with or without medial dissection, can cause sudden death from hemorrhage due to aortic rupture. Two representative cases are described. Review of the clinical history and pathological changes showed that the terminal event was delayed allowing healing and reactive changes to occur in the aortic wall. A pathologist confronted with a fatal case of aortic rupture should be aware that death is not always immediate. Recognition of this has medicolegal importance, particularly if medical management is questioned because of a missed clinical diagnosis.