Aortic dissection caused by giant cell arteritis.

Aortic dissection is a very serious condition mainly caused by degenerative diseases of the connective tissue and hypertension. Ascending aortic dissection as a consequence of aortitis in association with giant cell arteritis is very rarely seen. In this article we report on the successful surgical repair of a Stanford type A aortic dissection caused by giant cell arteritis in a 74-year-old patient. We could visualize this dissection via echocardiography and computed tomography. Histopathology confirmed this rare complication of giant cell aortitis.