An aortic aneurysm occurs when a weak aortic wall stretches, causing it to bulge. An aortic dissection occurs when there’s a tear in the aortic wall, which can be fatal if not treated immediately. The ...

The aorta is a major blood vessel carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As the heart pumps blood, it first enters the aorta and is then delivered via connecting vessels to the rest of ...

Your aorta is a tube-like structure that resembles a candy cane. The ascending aorta forms the beginning or handle of the cane and originates at the aortic valve. The ascending aorta includes the ...

Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissues. One effect of it is that the wall of the aorta can weaken and progressively widen. The wall can tear (dissection) and possibly rupture, ...

An aortic root aneurysm is a bulge in the first section of the aorta, where the artery joins the heart and aortic valve. Treatment for an aortic root aneurysm can help prevent serious complications.

Figure 1: A pair of siblings with Marfan syndrome who underwent aortic-root surgery. Given the prognostic implications, aortic surgery can be the most important event in the life of a patient with ...

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a leading cause of aortic root dilatation (ARD) in people with hypertension and those genetically pre-disposed to ARD, that is, those with bicuspid aortic valve disease ...

What Is an Aortic Dissection? An aortic dissection is an emergency with your aorta, which is the largest blood vessel in your body and the main artery that takes blood from your heart to the rest of ...

Thoracic aortic dissection occurs when the intima of the aorta becomes compromised and “tears” or “dissects” a new layer that fills with blood between the intima and the media. This “false lumen” can ...

Sometimes the aorta—the largest blood vessel in our bodies—can tear, allowing blood to flow between layers of the aortic wall. This dissection can block blood from flowing to other parts of the body, ...