Montefiore - Einstein Heart Center

Aneurysm Surgery

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. Starting at the heart, the aorta sends branches up to the neck and to each arm before heading down toward the abdomen. Along the way it supplies major organs with oxygen-rich blood before branching off toward either leg.

An aortic aneurysm occurs when a section of the aorta enlarges in comparison to the surrounding aorta. The larger this thinned, bulging section of the aorta grows, the greater the patient's risk of life-threatening rupture. During aneurysm surgery, the diseased section of the artery is replaced with either prosthetic material or tissue harvested from a cadaver. In all cases, diseased tissue is replaced by healthy tissue or artificial material.

Treating aneurysm at Montefiore-Einstein

Aortic aneurysm can involve a single section of the aorta, several small sections, or the entire aorta. Because your aorta spans so much of your body, treatment for aortic aneurysm is determined based on the location of the aneurysm.

Decisions about treatment are also made based on the cause of the aneurysm. Aortic aneurysms are caused by a variety of factors, including high blood pressure, traumatic injury, or genetic conditions such as Marfan syndrome. Different causes may lead to different treatment paths.

At Montefiore-Einstein, aortic surgeons examine the circumstances surrounding each patient's aneurysm and individualize treatment options about the best way to approach the aorta. At Montefiore-Einstein, therapy is based on the specific needs of the individual. Montefiore-Einstein's patients can feel comfortable knowing they're receiving the best treatment.

The Silent killer

Once formed, aneurysms can continue to grow until they rupture. Because of the high volume of blood pumped through the aorta, a ruptured aortic aneurysm can cause hemorrhaging so severe that patients often don't have time to get to the hospital for life-saving medical treatment.

As deadly as an undetected aortic aneurysm can be, the vast majority of aneurysms do not cause any noticeable symptoms. In rare cases, patients will experience pain at the site of the aneurysm. If the aneurysm has grown large enough, it can press against neighboring organs. For example, an aneurysm pressing against the windpipe might make it difficult for a patient to breathe. If the aneurysm puts constant pressure against tissue—the lung or the esophagus, for example-eventually a connection between the tissue and the aorta can form causing internal bleeding.

But these severe warning signs are rare—the vast majority of aneurysms are diagnosed incidentally. Generally, doctors diagnosis aneurysm when a patient gets a chest x-ray, a CT scan, or an angiography for another reason entirely.

Finding an aneurysm during a procedure for another medical need can be a traumatic experience. But patients who know they have an aneurysm are empowered to make a pre-emptive strike against a silent killer. When the aneurysm is situated in the portion of the aorta running through the abdomen, corrective surgery is successful ninety to ninety-five percent of the time. When the aneurysm is situated in a portion of the aorta closer to the heart, Montefiore-Einstein's success rate climbs to ninety-nine percent.