[Pulsating thoracic mass as a main symptom of gigantic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta]. / Masa pulsátil torácica como síntoma principal de seudoaneurisma gigante de aorta ascendente.

ABSTRACT

The pseudoaneurysms of the ascending aorta are very infrequent but their diagnosis is important because of the associated high mortality. They usually appear in patients who have undergone aortic-related surgery, but the time that passes until they appear can be very prolonged and suspicious signs and symptoms can be quite anodyne. We present two cases of pseudoaneurysms of ascending aorta in two patients who underwent cardiovascular operations several months before, which were of such a considerable size that the first and practically the only symptoms were the sudden appearance of a pulsating thoracic mass because of pseudoaneurysm compression at this site.