What is aortic dissection?

What is aortic dissection?

An aortic dissection is a serious condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body’s main artery (aorta). Blood rushes through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split (dissect). If the blood goes through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often deadly.

What is the main cause of aortic dissection?

Aortic dissection most often happens because of a tear or damage to the inner wall of the aorta. This very often occurs in the chest (thoracic) part of the artery, but it may also occur in the abdominal aorta. When a tear occurs, it creates 2 channels: One in which blood continues to travel.

Is aortic dissection curable?

Acute aortic dissection can be treated surgically or medically. In surgical treatment, the area of the aorta with the intimal tear is usually resected and replaced with a Dacron graft. Emergency surgical correction is the preferred treatment for Stanford type A (DeBakey type I and II) ascending aortic dissection.

How is aortic dissection diagnosed?

X-ray are used to produce cross-sectional images of the body. A CT of the chest can confirm a diagnosis of aortic dissection. Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). An MRA uses a magnetic field and radio wave energy to create images of your blood vessels.

What is the definition of aortic?

/eɪˈɔː.tɪk/ relating to the body’s main artery (= one of the thick tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body): the aortic valve.

How do you prevent aortic dissection?

You can reduce your risk of aortic dissection by making lifestyle changes that include monitoring and controlling your blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and wearing a seatbelt while in a car.

Does high blood pressure cause aortic dissection?

Most aortic dissections occur because high blood pressure causes the artery’s wall to deteriorate. People have sudden, excruciating pain, most commonly across the chest but also in the back between the shoulder blades.

Is aortic dissection death painful?

Aortic dissection most commonly causes a sharp, stabbing pain either in the chest or the back, depending on whether the dissection starts at the root of the aorta, which is near the heart, or in the back, another common origin. It can cause abdominal pain, weakness, sweating and fatigue.

What are the odds of surviving aortic dissection with surgery?

Surgical mortality has been estimated to range from 9% to 30%, and survival rates of 51–82% at 5 years have been reported [3–9].

Can you survive an aortic tear without surgery?

The well-known complications of acute type A aortic dissection, for example, intrapericardial rupture, acute aortic valve insufficiency, coronary ischemia, and branch vessel occlusion, are often lethal without prompt surgical intervention.

What is word dissection?

1 : to separate into pieces : expose the several parts of (something, such as an animal) for scientific examination dissect an earthworm dissecting flowers. 2 : to analyze and interpret minutely dissect a problem. intransitive verb. : to make a dissection.

Is the aorta Part of the heart?

The aorta is the main artery that carries blood away from your heart to the rest of your body. The blood leaves the heart through the aortic valve. Then it travels through the aorta, making a cane-shaped curve that allows other major arteries to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the brain, muscles and other cells.

Can you have an aortic dissection and not know it?

Aortic dissection may not always present with symptoms that suggest an acute cardiovascular event. Classical acute aortic dissection has been described as presenting with sudden, severe chest, back, or abdominal pain that is characterised as ripping or tearing in nature.

Who has died from aortic dissection?

star John Ritter
Sept. 12, 2003 — Popular TV and movie star John Ritter has died from an undetected flaw in his heart called an aortic dissection. Ritter came to fame in the 1970s TV program “Three’s Company” and was experiencing a resurgence in his career with the TV comedy “8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.”

How long can you have an aortic dissection without knowing?

Symptoms of chronic aortic dissection persist beyond 14 days of the initial event, when the first signs of dissection may be noticed. These symptoms can include abdominal, back, or chest pain. There also may be no symptoms.

Is aortic dissection a painful death?

What is the purpose of dissection?

1. It is dissection alone which allows us to recognize and relate body structure in three dimensions. Dissection is a complex procedure to learn morphology which requires all of the senses. T h e exercise of dissection provides the feel for the fabric of the body and it improves our manual dexterity.

Why is dissection useful?

Dissection is also important because it: Helps students learn about the internal structures of animals. Helps students learn how the tissues and organs are interrelated. Gives students an appreciation of the complexity of organisms in a hands-on learning environment.

DEFINITION Aortic dissection is the tearing in the innermost lining of the arterial wall of aorta that allows blood to enter between the intima and media , thus creating a false lumen. 4. INCIDENCE  Aortic dissection affect men 2 to 5 times more often than women.  Occurs most frequently in the sixth and seventh decades of the life.

How does cystic medial degeneration cause aortic dissection?

Cystic Medial Degeneration ■ Medial Degeneration predisposes dissection by decreasing cohesiveness of layers of aortic wall – More extensive in patients with: ■ HTN Marfan Syndrome Bicuspid Aortic Valves ■ ■ – But, even in other causes of dissection, medial degeneration is much greater than expected with normal aging. 19.

What does an MRI of the aorta show?

MRI 1. Intimal flap 2. Slow flow and clot in false lumen Lumen Partition of a three-dimensional contrast-enhanced MRA shows intimal flap (arrows ) in the distal aortic arch and descending aorta. 50. Type A dissection with clear intimaflap seen within the aortic arch.

When was the first successful repair of the aorta performed?

3. 1910: William Osler • “. . . spontaneous tear of the arterial coats is associated with atrocious pain, with symptoms, indeed, in the case of the aorta of angina pectoris and many instances have been mistaken for it.” 4. 1955 • The first successful operative repair was performed by DeBakey. 5. Review of Aortic Anatomy 6. Layers of aorta 7.