Thoracic & Abdominal Aorta

The aorta is the artery (vessel = tube) through which the heart sends arterial blood to the entire body, giving off branches as it moves away. In its course through the chest it is called the Thoracic Aorta, while in its course through the abdomen it is called the Abdominal Aorta and ends in the 2 Iliac arteries, each of which supplies blood to half of the pelvis and the corresponding lower limb.

When the walls of the aorta weaken (thin) and the aorta enlarges with a diameter increase over 50%, this dilation is called an aneurysm and there is a risk of rupture (bursting), causing potentially fatal internal bleeding. Risk factors for aneurysm development include smoking, age over 65, and a positive family history. Preventive screening with abdominal aortic ultrasound is important because in the majority of cases, an abdominal aortic aneurysm causes no symptoms before it ruptures.

Additionally, the Vascular Surgeon in charge of Vascular Therapy has also specialized in the endovascular management of more complex Thoracoabdominal aneurysms, preserving the aortic branches with specialized techniques such as custom-made fenestrated and/or branched stent grafts (Fenestrated-EVAR, Branched-EVAR) as well as the full range of CHIMPS techniques (parallel grafts).