Inova’s cardiac surgeons are experts in repairing life-threatening aortic aneurysms. The aorta is the large artery that stems from the heart and carries blood to the rest of the body. The thoracic aorta is that part of the artery within the chest, while the abdominal aorta is in the stomach area.

   
Ascending aortic aneurysm              Desending throracic aortic aneurysm

 

    
Abdominal aortic aneurysm               Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm

An aortic aneurysm forms when a part of the thoracic or abdominal aorta weakens and the wall expands like a balloon. As it balloons outward, the wall of the aorta becomes thinner and weaker. If the wall becomes too thin it may tear open or rupture, causing massive internal bleeding. Sometimes the aneurysm is dissecting. This occurs when the layers of the aortic wall tear and separate from each other and blood fills the layers between the aortic walls. Aortic aneurysms often produce no symptoms until they rupture, but then require immediate attention.

Your surgeon will make an incision in the abdomen, expose the aorta and replace the aneurysm with a synthetic tube. The incision is then closed with sutures.