Treatment of aortic dissections

Dissections can occur anywhere along the aorta, and treatment largely depends upon the location. Dissections involving the ascending aorta are usually treated with emergency surgery while those involving the descending thoracic aorta are treated with medication.

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Medical treatment usually includes aggressive control of blood pressure and heart rate while the descending thoracic aorta heals. About 1 out of every 10 people dies during medical treatment of a descending thoracic aortic dissection. If surgery is required, the risk of dying is higher –– about 30 percent. Every effort is therefore made to treat these aneurysms with medication.

The operation for aortic dissection consists of replacing a portion of the aorta with a synthetic material. Surgical repair of a dissection in the descending thoracic aorta is complex with the best results achieved by surgeons who have special expertise in these procedures.