Abstract
We present a case report of a 67-year-old female with multiple comorbid conditions who presented to the emergency department with left lower extremity and back pain after falling out of bed. She was noted to have a pulseless left lower extremity with decreased sensation. Diagnostic imaging was significant for a vascular emergency. This case highlights a serious and potentially fatal etiology of unilateral lower extremity pain.
•Common risk factors for aortic dissection (AD) include age, hypertension, cardiac conditions.•Classic and atypical findings on physical examination should be considered.•Critical limb ischemia in the clinical picture of AD is a key finding.•Computerized tomography angiography is superior for definitive diagnosis in the emergency department setting.
