Aortic aneurysm

An aortic aneurysm often develops without any warning signs. That’s why at Aurora Health Care, we’re ever diligent in screening for this life-threatening condition, especially if you have certain risk factors.

Often, we can suggest a minimally invasive treatment for you, so you have fewer complications and can recover faster. And with our specialized experience in aneurysm repair, performing this procedure so often for so many people, you’re in the best place for your care.

What is an aortic aneurysm?

The aorta is your body’s largest artery, which carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

An aneurysm is a balloon-shaped bulge in a weakened artery wall. When it forms in your aorta, it’s called aortic aneurysm.

Often, there are no symptoms with an aneurysm. Left undetected and untreated, the aortic wall may stretch too far and burst, causing internal bleeding, stroke and even death.

Understanding the types of aortic aneurysms

There are two types of aortic aneurysms, named for where they form in the body.

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm forms in the lower part of your aorta, down near your stomach.
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm occurs in your upper chest.

Aortic aneurysm symptoms

An aortic aneurysm can develop slowly at first and you may not have any symptoms. But if the bulge gets large enough, it can press on nearby organs or block blood flow and quickly become life threatening. Contact your doctor immediately as early detection and treatment can help save your life.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm symptoms

With an abdominal aortic aneurysm, you may have:

• Throbbing or deep back or side pain that develops suddenly or lasts a few days
• Steady, gnawing abdominal pain that lasts for hours or days
• A pulsating sensation near your belly button
• Shortness of breath or feeling faint

Thoracic aortic aneurysm symptoms

With a thoracic aortic aneurysm, you may have:

• Sharp, sudden pain in your back, chest, jaw or neck
• Unexplained coughing or hoarseness
• Difficulty breathing or feeling faint

If the aortic aneurysm bursts, you need immediate, emergency care. Signs of a rupture include:

• Sudden, severe chest pain
• Loss of consciousness or shock

Aortic aneurysm causes & risk factors

Even if you don’t have any symptoms, you may be at risk for developing an aortic aneurysm. And we’re here to help – first to identify your risks and then provide the regular screening tests you may need, such as a CT scan or ultrasound.

Certain conditions or factors can weaken or damage your aortic wall and lead to an abdominal or thoracic aneurysm. These risk factors include:

• Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque that narrows your arteries
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Family history of aneurysms
• Inherited conditions like Marfan syndrome

Other risk factors

You could also develop an aneurysm if you are:

• 65 or older: Aneurysms are more common as you age.
• Male: Men are more likely than women to have aneurysms.
• Involved in a major physical trauma: Serious injuries from events like car crashes can damage your arteries and lead to aneurysms.

Aortic aneurysm screening, surveillance & diagnosis

You may not even know you have an aortic aneurysm. That’s why getting the regular screening tests your doctor may recommend is so important. Your doctor could find the aneurysm during a screening test – or a routine exam or diagnostic test for another health issue – before it becomes life-threatening.

Surveillance clinic

People with aortic aneurysms and dissections may not need immediate treatment. Close monitoring by our surveillance clinic may be more appropriate. If we recommend monitoring for you, we’ll make appointments for you to come in to be checked at regular intervals.

Our surveillance clinic also monitors people after they’ve had surgery.

Your follow-up testing will be reviewed and compared to your prior results. In some cases, we’ll follow up with a phone call and no repeat testing unless you ask for it. If testing reveals a problem, you’ll see your doctor to discuss what comes next.

For more information, please call 844-942-6782.

Testing

We have the latest in imaging technologies to detect even the smallest abdominal or thoracic aortic aneurysm. We use one or more of these tests:

• Angiogram, a cardiac catheterization procedure where your doctor uses special, thin tubes to insert dye into your aortic artery, making it easier to view
• Radiographic imaging, such as CT scan and MRI
• Echocardiogram, a heart ultrasound that uses sound waves to create images of your aorta and help your doctor detect an aneurysm. This is a common screening test for abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is covered by Medicare on a one-time basis for qualified members.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG), a test that checks your heart’s electrical activity

Find out more about our heart and vascular testing and diagnosis.

Aortic aneurysm treatment

You may not need treatment for a small aneurysm without symptoms. Instead, your doctor may monitor it closely for any changes.

But if your aneurysm is large or causing symptoms, you’ll likely need treatment. Our extensive experience in treating all types of aneurysms can help put your mind at ease. Plus, because we’re chosen to be part of the latest clinical trials, we can offer you innovative treatments and devices not otherwise available.

Treatment types

For your treatment, we may recommend:

• Medication: Prescription medication can help lower your blood pressure, relax your blood vessels and reduce the risk of the aneurysm bursting.
• Aneurysm repair surgery: Your doctor will make a recommendation based on the size and location of your aneurysm. Options include:
  • Aneurysm surgery, to replace or reinforce the bulge in the weakened artery wall before it leaks or bursts
  • Endovascular stent grafting, in which our specialists insert a small wire mesh tube, called a stent, into your artery to strengthen it

We’re experts at even treating unusually shaped aneurysms, using customized stents that provide a minimally invasive option to open surgical repair – which means a faster recovery for you. And for aneurysms near the kidney and internal arteries, which can be tough areas to treat, we offer specialized fenestrated stent grafts.

And if you have Marfan syndrome and are more prone to aneurysms, our Center for Marfan and Aortic Disorders can help. Specializing in complicated aortic conditions like aortic aneurysms, our vascular, heart, electrophysiology and other experts work closely together to develop the best care plan for you.

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz