Aortic Aneurysm

Aortic aneurysms occur in the aorta which the major artery that arises from the heart. It is responsible for carrying all the blood that is pumped out of the heart and channels it through many branches to all of the organs in the body. The aorta is divided into four portions. The ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta and the abdominal aorta. An aortic aneurysm is an enlargement of a weakened area of the aorta. My father had an aortic aneurysm on the aortic arch that was monitored by CT scans every three to six months. Unfortunately, it dissected one early morning when he got out of bed causing extreme lower jaw/esophagus and chest pain. It had dissected all the way into the abdominal area. Aortic aneurysms are prone to dissection, or tearing of the wall of the aorta. When this occurs at the ascending aorta or at the aortic arch, as did my father's, emergency surgery is done. Mortality rate for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm is fifty percent before they reach the hospital. Surgical repair of one carries a twenty-five to fifty percent mortality rate as well. Causes of thoracic aortic aneurysms vary from atherosclerosis to genetic disorders. The most common cause is Cystic medial degeneration. The elastic fibers which make the outer layer of the aorta, weaken as we age, making the aorta prone to dilation. This can result in early aneurysm formation. Infections of the aortic wall can also result in an aortic aneurysm. Since early stage aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic, aneurysms are mostly found on CT and MR exams that are not related to the aorta. Unfortunately, my father passed away after enduring seven long weeks after his aortic aneurysm repair. The following image is an MR of an thoracic aortic aneurysm.