Can a fall off a bicycle cause a tear in the aorta?

Yes: This is known as a traumatic pseudo aneurysm . This can occur with any form of sudden deceleration injury. This can be diagnosed with a ct scan of the chest.

Unlikely: Typically a bicycle is not high enough for the fall to generate enough force to tear the aorta. In trauma circles, we use a height of 10 feet as the distance needed to worry about aortic transection, but theoretically any blunt force could hurt.

Unlikely but possible: Any serious deceleration can cause traumatic disruption of the aorta. More commonly motor vehicle collisions, but I have seen a bicycle collision do it.

Yes: I have done vascular trauma for years & this is a possibility. A sudden deceleration from sudden impact or fall can cause a tear in the aorta, most commonly at the region of the distal aortic arch in the chest. CT scan of the chest can quickly diagnose the condition. It requires urgent repair. There can be immediate bleeding, delayed bleeding, or aneurysm development at the site of injury.