Pulmonary arterial laceration secondary to subclavian vein catheterization.

120 COMMUNICATIONSTO THE EDITOR CHEST, 78: 1, JULY, 1980 ly out of the neck-and-sternal incision and the patient died within minutes. Autopsy disclosed an aneurysmal dilatation of the ascending aorta, with a 2 cm transverse irregular tear on its posterior aspect, 4 cm from the aortic valve. In the intima, the tear extended to 6 cm length (Fig 1). Microscopic examination of the aortic arch showed focal destruction of the elastic fibers in the media with scarring and increased vascularity, focal lymphocytic infiltrations in the adventitia and media, and thickening of the intima in some adventitial arterioles. The findings were typical for luetic aortitis.