Massive retrograde acute type B aortic dissection in a postpartum woman with a family history of Marfan syndrome

Acute aortic dissection is rare but potentially catastrophic complication of pregnancy. Aortic root enlargement, congenital bicuspid aortic valve disease, and Marfan syndrome have been identified as critical risk factors for peripartum aortic dissection. Most of the aortic dissections reported to date involve the ascending aorta and occur before delivery, but only a few cases of postpartum aortic dissection have been described. In this report, we discuss the management of a multigravid parturient with an extensive family history of Marfan syndrome who developed a massive retrograde type B aortic dissection 7 days after a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery.