Dissection of the aorta in Turner's syndrome.

Three deaths from dissection of the aorta in a series of 157 adult women with Turner's syndrome are reported. These are greatly in excess of the numbers expected. None of the three patients had a coarctation of the aorta. One had aortic regurgitation but there was no reason to believe that the aorta in the other two patients had been subjected to unusual haemodynamic stresses. Cystic medial necrosis of the aorta was described in two patients on whom necropsies were carried out. It is concluded that there is probably a greatly increased risk of dissection of the aorta in Turner's syndrome even in the absence of any other abnormality of the aorta and aortic valve. Previously reported cases of aortic dissection in Turner's syndrome are discussed.