Iatrogenic dissection of the descending aorta: Conservative or endovascular treatment?

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is without any doubt a standard technique and the treatment of choice of severe aortic valve stenosis (AVS) in very high-operative risk patients. However, a number of complications may occur and has been described. Improper valve position, valve migration, paravalvular regurgitation, conduction disturbances, stroke and aortic dissection have been succeeded despite the perfection of the technique.

Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve in a β-thalassemia patient.

Papillary fibroelastomas are uncommon benign tumors with frond-like growths usually arising from the heart valves. The identification of their presence is of major clinical importance owing to the fact that although rarely symptomatic they can cause coronary occlusion, stroke, and even sudden cardiac death. We present an asymptomatic 38-year-old woman with homozygous β-thalassemia in whom transthoracic echocardiography incidentally discovered an aortic mass.