SUDDEN-DEATH DUE TO ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTI ON DURING GASTRIC ENDOSCOPY- REPORT OF A CASE

A patient with atypical abdominal pain and negative investigations for cardiovascular disease died suddenly during gastric endoscopy. Ruptur e of the aorta due to a dissecting aneurysm was found at autopsy. Aort ic dissection should be considered routinely in patients with sudden o nset of any kind of abdominal or chest pain. Suggestive clinical manif estations should be looked for and appropriate investigations performe d (chest film, electrocardiogram, computed tomography, digital angiogr aphy, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography). These investig ations are not always readily available, as in the case reported here. This case demonstrates that rupture of the aorta due to a dissecting aneurysm can occur suddenly even after proper preparation for upper ga strointestinal endoscopy.