Alan Thicke‘s official cause of death has been released, Entertainment Tonight reports.
The Growing Pains star died of a “ruptured aorta” and a “standard type A aortic dissection,” according to his official death certificate. The death certificate states his death occurred within minutes of the ruptured aorta, while the time between the onset of the aortic dissection and his death was three hours.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Doctors performed a median sternotomy on Thicke on Dec. 13, which is a surgical procedure that gives the surgeons access to the heart and lungs. His time of death was listed at 2:14 p.m. on the same day.
A type A aortic dissection is a tear that begins in the ascending aorta and progresses throughout the vessel. Prior to his death, Thicke was vomiting and experiencing chest pain, which are common symptoms of a type A aortic dissection.
Related:
Alan Thicke’s Wife Tanya Callau Breaks Silence About the Actor’s Death
Inside the Final Hours of Alan Thicke’s Life: 911 Caller Details His Last Moments on the Ice Rink
Alan Thicke’s ‘Devastated’ TV Wife Joanna Kerns Shares Moving Tribute
Most Viewed
-
(Photo by Ben Curtis – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images) -
US singer Miley Cyrus attends the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Angeka Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) -
Antique TV set with color bars, on black background. 3D rendering -
NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
