Real-time three dimensional echocardiography in the postoperative follow-up of type-A aortic dissection--a case report.

Aortic dissection is a fearful complication with extremely high mortality in young patients with Marfan syndrome. Successful aortic emergency surgery increases the life expectancy of these patients, yet it does not prevent disease progression and late complications. Therefore, long-term imaging follow-up of both reconstructed and chronically dissected aortic segments is mandatory. This case report illustrates the potential role of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography as a supplement to conventional postoperative follow-up in aortic dissection that provides valuable spatial and functional information. Copyright 2010 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.