What is Aortic Dissection?
Aortic root dissection is a tearing of the aorta, the major blood vessel coming out of the heart. THE HEART OF THE MATTER – VERY REAL, VERY DANGEROUS HEART PROBLEMS AND TS Understanding a Rare and Fatal Disease By Reaching Out to the TS Community by Misty Carlson, MD, and Michael Silberbach, MD Aortic root dissection is a tearing of the aorta, the major blood vessel coming out of the heart. This devastating disease is becoming recognized as a cause of death in women with Turner syndrome. But, how common is it? Why does aortic root dissection happen in TS? No one knows the answers to these questions. Anecdotal information suggests that aortic dissection occurs in TS women before 30 years of age. Since the comprehensive report by Lin et al, published in the 1986 Journal of Pediatrics, there have been several population-based analyses, each describing a few cases of aortic dissection. However, there has been no comprehensive study trying to understand a large number of affected people. Ou
The aorta is the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta’s artery wall splits open (dissects). This is more likely to occur where pressure on the artery wall from blood flow is high. One such place is the ascending aorta (the first segment of the aorta), where the aorta originates from the heart’s left ventricle (pumping chamber). This is the part of the aorta closest to the heart (thus the name proximal aorta). When the aortic wall splits, the pulses of blood get inside the artery wall and under the inner layer. This makes the aorta split further. This tear usually continues distally (away from the heart) down the descending aorta and into its major branches. Less often the tear may run proximally (back toward the heart). Aortic dissection can also start in the descending (distal) segment of the aorta. What are the symptoms of aortic dissection? Acute aortic dissection causes sudden chest pain.
Aortic dissection is the most common catastrophe affecting the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery of the body through which blood leaves the heart to deliver oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. It occurs in about 24 people per million each year in the U.S. It is caused when the inner layer of the aortic wall tears and then peels or separates away from the next layer of the aorta. This creates two channels; the original aortic channel for blood flow (the true lumen) is still present while the peeling away of the outer layer in the dissection creates a new additional flow channel (the false lumen). This double-barrel flow pattern in the dissected aorta can cause serious problems upstream or downstream from the tear. The dissection or separation can result in a significant decrease in blood flow to various organs and tissues supplied by the involved branches. Branches that may be affected include the kidney (renal) arteries, the gut (mesenteric) arteries, the arteries to the bra
The aorta is the main artery that moves blood away from the heart. An aortic dissection is a condition in which the inner layer of the aortic wall splits open. When this happens, blood spills into the inner lining behind the aortic wall, causing the split to continue down the aorta. The blood in the artery is moving away from the heart, and the split typically runs in the same direction. Occasionally, the dissection will run toward the heart, rather than away from it. This is much less common because the tear will have to travel against the flow of blood. Dissections that occur in the direct of the heart are more common in elderly patients. As the aortic dissection develops, the tear in the inner wall of the aorta travels down the aorta and can even move into arteries that branch off of the aorta. An aortic dissection is considered a medical emergency. Dissections are more common in men than in women and typically occur between the ages of 50 and 70. Someone suffering from an aortic di
Aortic dissection is a tear or partial tear in the lining of the largest blood vessel in the body, the aorta. This tear allows blood (and the pressure of the blood flow) to penetrate the arterial wall. Over time, this continuous flow can cause the aorta to rupture – a condition that most people do not survive. There are two types of aortic dissections, although sometimes both are required: • Type A: A dissection to the ascending aorta is classified as a Type A dissection. These dissections can be treated medically (usually only briefly) or with interventional catheterization or open surgical techniques. • Type B: A dissection of the descending aorta is classified as a Type B dissection. These dissections are most often treated medically with routine monitoring and prescribed medications. There is a surgical option, but it carries substantially increased risk of paralysis.What are the warning signs and symptoms of aortic dissection? Aortic dissections are commonly found in people with h
