Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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An unusual presentation of thoracic aortic dissection in a 73 year old man is described. He was admitted to hospital with severe left sided pleuritic chest pain. ⋯ Spiral computed tomography done on the fourth day showed a false lumen on the ascending aorta. He underwent surgery but deteriorated postoperatively because of intrathoracic bleeding and developed cardiac tamponade from which resuscitation was not possible.
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Perforation of the pharynx and upper oesophagus after stab wounds to the neck is easily overlooked because of the relative lack of symptoms. A case is reported in which pneumomediastinum occurred after an apparently trivial neck wound.