Aorta Showing Repaired Coarctation
Clinical History
The patient was a 7 year old girl who failed to gain weight and was easily fatigued. Examination showed her to be moderately hypertensive 140/90 (for her age), with a marked delay between her radial and femoral pulses. There was a loud harsh systolic bruit heard over the entire chest wall. The diagnosis of coarctation was made at cardiac catheterisation. An anastomosis was performed but unfortunately the patient arrested at the end of the surgery and died.
Pathology
The specimen consists of a heart with attached aorta. Approximately 3 cm from the origin of the aorta there is a line of black silk sutures which is the site of anastomosis following excision of the coarctation.