Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Circulation
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Circulation. 2005;111:816-828
doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000154569.08857.7A
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Isselbacher, E. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Isselbacher, E. M.
Related Collections
Right arrow Peripheral vascular disease
Right arrow Other Treatment
Right arrow CT and MRI
Right arrow CV surgery: aortic and vascular disease

(Circulation. 2005;111:816-828.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.


Contemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine

Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Eric M. Isselbacher, MD

From the Thoracic Aortic Center and Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence to Eric M. Isselbacher, MD, Thoracic Aortic Center and Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, YAW-5A-5800, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail eisselbacher@partners.org


Key Words: aneurysm • aorta • diagnosis • imaging • surgery


An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.
 


*    Introduction
 
Aneurysms of the aorta are at times evaluated and treated by physicians from a number of specialties. Indeed, whereas cardiac surgeons operate on the ascending aorta and arch and vascular surgeons manage abdominal aortic aneurysms, at present the responsibility often falls to cardiologists to oversee the medical care of patients with aortic disease of all types. However, although formally trained in "cardiovascular medicine," most cardiologists devote their attention to the heart and its coronary arteries, and relatively few have experience in the management of diseases of the aorta. It is therefore important that cardiologists acquire a sufficient knowledge base so that they can confidently evaluate and manage patients with aortic disease and know when it is appropriate to refer them for surgery. Toward this end, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current understanding of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.


*    Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
 
Thoracic aneurysms may involve one or more aortic segments (aortic root, ascending aorta, arch, or descending aorta) and are classified accordingly (Figure 1). Sixty percent of thoracic aortic aneurysms involve the aortic root and/or ascending aorta, 40% involve the descending aorta, 10% involve the arch, and 10% involve the thoracoabdominal aorta (with some involving >1 segment). The etiology, natural history, and treatment of thoracic aneurysms differ for each of these segments.


Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)
View larger version (49K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 1. Anatomy of thoracic and proximal abdominal aorta. (©Massachusetts General Hospital Thoracic Aortic Center. Used with permission.)

Etiology and Pathogenesis
Aneurysms of the ascending thoracic aorta most often result from cystic medial degeneration, which appears histologically as . . . [Full Text of this Article]




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
T. Henriques, X. Zhang, F. B. Yiannikouris, A. Daugherty, and L. A. Cassis
Androgen Increases AT1a Receptor Expression in Abdominal Aortas to Promote Angiotensin II-Induced AAAs in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., July 1, 2008; 28(7): 1251 - 1256.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
F. Dick, D. Hinder, F. F. Immer, C. Hirzel, D. D. Do, T. P. Carrel, and J. Schmidli
Outcome and quality of life after surgical and endovascular treatment of descending aortic lesions.
Ann. Thorac. Surg., May 1, 2008; 85(5): 1605 - 1612.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
Z. Touat, L. Lepage, V. Ollivier, P. Nataf, U. Hvass, J. Labreuche, M. Jandrot-Perrus, J.-B. Michel, and G. Jondeau
Dilation-Dependent Activation of Platelets and Prothrombin in Human Thoracic Ascending Aortic Aneurysm
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., May 1, 2008; 28(5): 940 - 946.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll Cardiol ImgHome page
A. Wolak, H. Gransar, L. E.J. Thomson, J. D. Friedman, R. Hachamovitch, A. Gutstein, L. J. Shaw, D. Polk, N. D. Wong, R. Saouaf, et al.
Aortic Size Assessment by Noncontrast Cardiac Computed Tomography: Normal Limits by Age, Gender, and Body Surface Area
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. Img., March 1, 2008; 1(2): 200 - 209.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
J. A. Jones, R. E. Stroud, B. S. Kaplan, A. M. Leone, J. E. Bavaria, J. H. Gorman III, R. C. Gorman, and J. S. Ikonomidis
Differential Protein Kinase C Isoform Abundance in Ascending Aortic Aneurysms From Patients With Bicuspid Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valves
Circulation, September 11, 2007; 116(11_suppl): I-144 - I-149.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
J. C. Isenburg, D. T. Simionescu, B. C. Starcher, and N. R. Vyavahare
Elastin Stabilization for Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Circulation, April 3, 2007; 115(13): 1729 - 1737.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
J. M. Gitlin, D. B. Trivedi, R. Langenbach, and C. D. Loftin
Genetic deficiency of cyclooxygenase-2 attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation in mice
Cardiovasc Res, January 1, 2007; 73(1): 227 - 236.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HeartHome page
P Nataf and E Lansac
Dilation of the thoracic aorta: medical and surgical management.
Heart, September 1, 2006; 92(9): 1345 - 1352.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
P. J.A. van der Starre, D. Y. Sze, C. Guta, R. S. Mitchell, and M. D. Dake
Stent-Graft Repair of an Aortic Rupture Caused by Invasive Hemangiopericytoma
Ann. Thorac. Surg., June 1, 2006; 81(6): 2300 - 2302.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Asian Cardiovasc. Thorac. Ann.Home page
E. M. Kirsch, N C. Radu, E. Allaire, and D. Y Loisance
Pathobiology of Idiopathic Ascending Aortic Aneurysms
Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann, June 1, 2006; 14(3): 254 - 260.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
SEMIN CARDIOTHORAC VASC ANESTHHome page
G. Silvay and M. E. Stone
Repair of Thoracic Aneurysms, with Special Emphasis on the Preoperative Work-Up
Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, March 1, 2006; 10(1): 11 - 15.
[Abstract] [PDF]