Author/Editor		Ermenc, Branko; Prijon, Ticijana; Hočevar, Zvonko
Title		Pathoanatomy and histology of traumatic aortic ruptures - an attempt of classification
Type		članek
Source		In: Proceedings of the 10th international meeting on forensic medicine Alpe-Adria-Pannonia; 2001 May 23-26; Opatija. Zagreb: Department of forensic medicine and criminology school of medicine,
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 212-8
Language		eng
Abstract		Traumatic injuries to the aorta are divided into sharp and blunt ones. The site of the injury depends on the mechanism of injury, whereas the type, scope and number of injuries depend on the force exerted on a surface unit of the vessel wall. We distinguish between several entities of injuries to the aorta: from a limited rupture of the intima to a total transsection of the aorta. A disease-affected aortic wall has a weaker resistance to injury and is thus more injury prone. Regarding pathomorphological impairments, the injuries to the aortic wall can be divided into several groups. On the basis of the experience of experts from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Ljubljana, we have drawn up a proposal for a classification of traumatic ruptures (lacerations) of the aortic wall. Injuries of the aortic wall are classified into three basic categories or types: type I (intramural injuries), type II (transmural injuries) and type III (multiple injuries), as well as respective subtypes. A retrospective study covering the period between 1995 and 2000 included 176 fatalities with traumatic rupture of the aorta (laceration). The pathomorphological injuries were classified in accordance with the proposed classification.42 injuries (23.9%) were diagnosed astype I, 74 (42%) as type II, and 58 (34.1 %) as type III. The type IIA rupture (partial complete rupture) was the most frequent pathoanatomic diagnosis. In our opinion the proposed classification provides for a more systematic survey of pathomorphological impairments and injuries to the aortic wall.
Descriptors		AORTIC RUPTURE WOUNDS, NONPENETRATING FATAL OUTCOME AUTOPSY FORENSIC MEDICINE