Spontaneous Left Atrial Dissection Presenting as Pulmonary Edema

Abstract

Ahealthy 30-year-old man who had not had any prior medical or surgical history presented to the emergency department with substernal pain for 2 days that was sharp and exacerbated by inspiration and recumbency. Chest radiograph (Figure 1A) showed mild left atrial enlargement. The ECG showed normal findings. The next day, the patient complained of sudden onset of class 3 dyspnea and frothy blood-tinged sputum. Follow-up …