La diseccion aguda es la afeccion mas comun de la aorta toracica y es dos o tres veces mas frecuente que la ruptura del aneurisma aortico abdominal; de no tratarse, tiene una mortalidad del 90% a tres meses. En los ultimos anos, se han dado grandes avances en su diagnostico oportuno y tratamiento adecuado, tanto medico como quirurgico, con significativa disminucion de la mortalidad. Su incidencia esta aumentando en los paises industrializados, quiza incluso este infravalorada, debida al grupo de pacientes que fallecen antes de que se llegue a un diagnostico definitivo.

Palabras clave: Diseccion aorta, arco aortico, aorta ascendente.

Acute dissection is the most common disease of the thoracic aorta and it is two or three times more frequent than the rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm; if it is not treated properly, it has a mortality rate of 90% to three months. In recent years, much progress has been made in timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, both medical and surgical management, with significant reduction in mortality. Its incidence is increasing in industrialized countries, perhaps even being undervalued, because of the large number of patients who die before they reach a definitive diagnosis.

Key words: aortic dissection, aortic arch, ascending aorta.