Genetics of Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Diseases

Thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

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 train...

Treatment of Thoracic Aortic Diseases Petri Saari Endovascular Treatment of Thoracic Aortic Diseases

Thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections can lead to devastating complications and eventually to premature death. A diseased segment of the aorta has traditionally been replaced with a surgical prosthesis. Open surgery is, unfortunately, associated with relatively high mortality and morbidity. Stent graft treatment was introduced on the side of open surgery 20 years ago, and there have been hi...

Microembolization from an abdominal aortic aneurysm after thoracic aortic replacement.

A 66-year-old man with thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm suffered from microembolism in the lower extremities after total arch replacement. He presented with livedo reticularis with palpable peripheral pulses, and the serum creatinine kinase level elevated up to 7,695. The abdominal aortic aneurysm, but not the thoracic aorta, was the origin of this complication. The morphological change o...

Abdominal aortic dissection associated with thoracic aortic coarctation

The genetics and genomics of thoracic aortic disease.

Genetic studies over the past several decades have helped to better elucidate the genomics and inheritance of thoracic aortic diseases. Seminal work from various researchers have identified several genetic factors and mutations that predispose to aortic aneurysms, which will aid in better screening and early intervention, resulting in better clinical outcomes. Syndromic aneurysms have been asso...