Advanced Aortic Surgery Aneurysm & dissection
Advanced Aortic Surgery (Aneurysm & dissection)
An aortic dissection is a serious condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body’s main artery (aorta). Blood rushes through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split (dissect). If the blood goes through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often deadly.
Symptoms
Aortic dissection symptoms may be similar to those of other heart problems, such as a heart attack.
Typical signs and symptoms include:
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Sudden severe chest or upper back pain, often described as a tearing or ripping sensation, that spreads to the neck or down the back
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Sudden severe stomach pain
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Loss of consciousness
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Shortness of breath
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Symptoms similar to those of a stroke, including sudden vision problems, difficulty speaking, and weakness or loss of movement (paralysis) on one side of your body
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Weak pulse in one arm or thigh compared with the other
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Leg pain
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Difficulty walking
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Risk factors
Some of the things that may raise your risk of aortic dissection include:
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Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
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Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
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Weakened and bulging artery (aortic aneurysm)
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An aortic valve defect (bicuspid aortic valve)
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A narrowing of the aorta at birth (aortic coarctation)
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Complications
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Possible complications of aortic dissection include:
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Death due to severe internal bleeding
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Organ damage, such as kidney failure or life-threatening intestinal damage
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Stroke
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Aortic valve damage (aortic regurgitation) or rupture into the lining around the heart (cardiac tamponade)
