Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is when a weakend part of a blood vessel explands like a balloon. The aorta is the largest artery in the body and it supplies blood to every major organ in the body. There are four general areas of the aorta: ascending aorta,aortic arch, descending aorta and the abdominal aorta. Each of these areas helps pump blood to vital organs.

If an aneurysm reaches a certain size, it can be prone to dissection or rupture. Many times when an aneurysm is a certain size it is necessary to repair it with surgery to prevent dissection.

For each type of aneurysm there is different criteria to perform surgery. Most aneurysms can be repaired with Dacron or Teflon grafts. During your consultation the surgeon will discuss your type of aneurysm with you and recommend the most appropriate treatment.