Cardiac: Practice Question
Question
A 64 year old female presents with sharp chest pain and is found to have a dissecting aortic aneurysm confined to the ascending aorta. What is the appropriate classification of this lesion?
Answer Choices
- DeBakey Classification type II
- DeBakey Classification type I
- DeBakey Classification type IIIa
- Stanford Classification type B
- DeBakey Classification type IIIb
Show Answer and Explanations
DeBakey Classification type II — Correct answer
Correct. DeBakey type II dissections are confined to the ascending aorta. Dissections involving the ascending aorta have a worse prognosis and are more urgent and complicated to treat than dissections involving the descending aorta only.
DeBakey Classification type I
Incorrect. DeBakey type I dissections involve both the ascending and descending aorta.
DeBakey Classification type IIIa
Incorrect. DeBakey type IIIa dissections originate distal to the left subclavian artery and progress proximally and distally.
Stanford Classification type B
Incorrect. Stanford type B lesions involve only the descending aorta, defined as distal to the left subclavian artery. Stanford type A lesions involve the ascending aorta and arch.
DeBakey Classification type IIIb
Incorrect. DeBakey type IIIa dissections originate distal to the left subclavian artery and progress only distally.
Summary
Summary:| DeBakey I | Ascending + Descending aorta |
|---|---|
| DeBakey II | Ascending aorta |
| DeBakey IIIA | Descending aorta, extends proximal and distal |
| DeBakey IIIB | Descending aorta, extends distal |
| Stanford A | Ascending +/- descending aorta |
| Stanford B | Descending aorta only |
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