Hemoptysis and hemothorax as presentation of thoracic aortic rupture.

Thoracic aortic dissection is a disease of great mortality in its initial phase, but in some cases it can assume chronic course. We report a case of a patient with Stanford type A1 aortic dissection, admitted with mental confusion, dyspnea and event of severe hemoptysis. Electrocardiogram showed unspecific change and chest X-ray revealed opacification of the left hemithorax. Transthoracic echocardiogram did not show aortic dissection, but showed image similar to hemithorax leading to the suspicion of aortic rupture. The patient developed cardiovascular collapse and evolved to death. This case describes two unusual presentations of aortic dissection: hemothorax and severe hemoptysis.