Aortic dissection and cardiovascular syphilis: report of an observation with transesophageal echocardiography and anatomopathologic findings.

We report the case of a man who had thoracic pain and stroke. Transesophageal echocardiography enabled us to diagnose an intramural hematoma and a saccular aneurysm of the thoracic aorta before he died. Autopsy showed lesions compatible with syphilitic aortitis in the aortic wall. Transesophageal echocardiography and anatomopathologic findings are correlated, and the role of syphilis as a causal factor is discussed.