Porcelain Aorta

A 55-year-old woman was referred for aortic-valve surgery because of severe aortic regurgitation. On chest radiography, prominent linear calcifications were noted along the thoracic aorta. A 55-year-old woman was referred for aortic-valve surgery because of severe aortic regurgitation. On chest radiography, prominent linear calcifications were noted along the thoracic aorta (Panel A, arrows). A computed tomographic scan of the chest further delineated the dense circumferential calcification present in the wall of the entire thoracic and upper abdominal aorta (Panel B, arrows), a finding that was consistent with a porcelain aorta. During coronary angiographic examination, fluoroscopic images confirmed dense calcification (see video) throughout the aorta. Given these imaging findings, conventional aortic-valve replacement with cross-clamping of the ascending aorta was not attempted. The operative risk with conventional . . .