Key result
High-speed lateral pedestrian impact causes fatal ascending aortic rupture despite minimal external trauma.
Why the study?
Traumatic aortic rupture among pedestrians is increasing due to encounters with high-speed vehicles, and understanding the risk factors and trauma kinetics is needed to help prevent fatalities.
Case Report (n=1)
No
This autopsy case report highlights that severe internal thoracic injuries, such as transverse ascending aortic rupture, can occur in pedestrian-vehicle collisions even when external trauma appears negligible.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Clinicians must suspect aortic rupture despite minimal external trauma in high-speed pedestrian strikes; case extends biokinetic understanding but leaves open prospective confirmation.
Traumatic Aortic Rupture (TAR) is one of the leading causes of death, next to traumatic brain injury in occupants of vehicles, traditionally linked to high-velocity impacts. TAR among pedestrians is increasing due to a rise in encounters with over speeding and high-speed vehicle. Understanding the risk factors and trauma kinetics will help in the prevention of fatalities. This is a case of a 66-year-old male, a pedestrian, who was hit by an over speeding car from his side. Autopsy findings revealed a transverse rupture of the ascending aorta with minimal external injuries and traumatic brain injury. The aorta rupture is likely to result from a combination of compression forces, shearing stress, and the water hammer effect. The presence of head injuries and aortic rupture highlights the unpredictable injury patterns in such collisions and underscores the potential role of biomechanical susceptibilities. Clinically, this case stresses the importance of vigilance for internal thoracic injuries in survivors of pedestrian against vehicular accidents, even when external trauma appears negligible. TAR remains a complex, multifactorial injury and requires continued interdisciplinary research to comprehend its mechanisms.
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Das et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Traumatic aortic rupture (n=1). High-speed vehicular lateral impact was evaluated on Autopsy findings (transverse rupture of the ascending aorta and traumatic brain injury). Lateral impact from an over-speeding car in a 66-year-old pedestrian caused a fatal transverse ascending aortic rupture and traumatic brain injury despite minimal external trauma.
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