Blunt traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta: A report of an unusual mechanism of injury

Classic teaching suggests that blunt thoracic aortic rupture (BTAR) results from high-speed deceleration injury mechanisms. Our recent experience with a patient who sustained fatal aortic rupture resulting from a low-speed crushing injury emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for BTAR, even in patients with “lowrisk” injury mechanisms. Several potential pathophysiologic mechanisms of BTAR are discussed.