Hemodynamic collapse caused by a large unruptured aneurysm of the ascending aorta in an 18 year old.

Large aneurysms of the ascending aorta occasionally cause severe hemodynamic disturbance by compression. We describe the case of an 18-yr-old man who presented with dyspnea and developed hemodynamic collapse during computed tomography scanning. Computed tomography during resuscitation revealed that the aneurysm was compressing both the right pulmonary artery and the left bronchus. Emergency surgery was performed, but the patient died because of generalized cerebral infarction.