Heart & Vascular

Aortic Aneurysm

Our cardiovascular experts provide comprehensive care and effective, innovative treatments for bulging in the aorta.

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Leading-Edge Care for Complex Conditions, Close to Home

Heart & Vascular Expertise

We have extensive expertise across the spectrum of heart and vascular medicine. Our doctors are known leaders in cardiovascular care, many with highly specialized training for specific conditions.

Discovery Through Research

Our innovative research, gives you access to new treatments not available at many other hospitals. Through these studies, we have developed new techniques to treat aortic aneurysms and other cardiovascular conditions.

Personalized, Progressive Treatment Options

At The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute, you benefit from leading-edge screenings and a wide range of treatment options, including minimally invasive surgical repair. We take a personalized, innovative approach to your care.

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About Aortic Aneurysms

An aortic aneurysm diagnosis is often a surprise—a condition discovered during a screening for an unrelated medical issue, though you may not have symptoms. We treat most patients without surgery when the aortic aneurysm is caught early. Healthy lifestyle changes can decrease your risk of complications.

If you have symptoms or have been diagnosed with aortic aneurysm, we give you the care and support you need from Greater Cincinnati’s leader in cardiovascular care.

What Is an Aortic Aneurysm?

The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta. Aneurysms can weaken the wall of the aorta, causing it to leak, tear, or rupture.

Types of Aortic Aneurysms

There are several types of aortic aneurysms. Each is serious and life-threatening. If you notice any symptoms, get medical care right away.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—the most common type; AAAs often start small and may not cause any noticeable symptoms. Others expand quickly, causing symptoms such as abdominal or back pain, a feeling of fullness, or a pulsing near your belly button.
Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA)—less common, they occur in the chest cavity and typically grow slowly. This makes them hard to detect in the early stages. Signs may include difficulty breathing or swallowing, tenderness or pain in the chest, hoarseness, or pain in the jaw, neck or back.
Ascending aortic aneurysm—a specific type of TAA that occurs just above the heart and can cause the aortic valve to leak.
Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA)—involves segments of the aorta in both the chest and abdomen. Key risk factors are age, hardening of the arteries, and connective tissue disorders.

Heart & Vascular Support Groups

If you have a heart-related condition, we offer education and support to help you live your healthiest life. Consider joining one of our support groups.

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Screening for Aneurysms

If your doctor suspects you have an aortic aneurysm, they may recommend a physical exam and noninvasive cardiovascular imaging, such as ultrasound, echocardiogram (ECG), MRI or CT scan.

Risk Factors for Aortic Aneurysm

Risk factors for aortic aneurysm include:

Health history—conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries and coronary artery disease
Smoking—a leading cause that can make an aneurysm grow faster
Family history—a close relative, like a parent or sibling, who has had an aneurysm
Gender and age—being over 65 and male
Connective tissue disorders—such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Injury—trauma to the chest or abdomen, such as from a serious car accident

Consider genetic counseling to learn your hereditary risk.

Know the Signs

If you’ve been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, learn the warning signs of a potentially life-threatening rupture. Get emergency treatment if you have:

Lightheadedness or passing out
Rapid heart rate
Shock
Sudden severe pain near your stomach or in your chest or back

$75 Heart & Vascular Screening

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Expert Aortic Aneurysm Treatments

Treatment for aortic aneurysm varies depending on the aneurysm size and growth rate. Large or quickly growing aortic aneurysms may require immediate surgery.

Watchful Waiting: Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance Program

If your aneurysm is small and you don’t have any symptoms, we may monitor your health over time, called “watchful waiting.” We’ll regularly check your aneurysm for changes in size and shape.

We will work with you on these prevention strategies to keep the aneurysm from getting worse:

Lifestyle changes—quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight, improve your diet and manage stress.
Medical management—prescription medications can lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Genetic counseling—testing identifies genetic markers linked to aneurysms, which helps us find the most effective treatment and identify other family members who may be at risk.

We’ll share results and updates with your primary care physician to seamlessly coordinate your ongoing care.

Surgical Treatment of Aortic Aneurysm

We pioneered endovascular aneurysm repair, and we are leading the way in minimally invasive surgery in Greater Cincinnati. Now, we repair most abdominal and many thoracic aneurysms with this endovascular technique. Patients benefit from smaller incisions, less pain and bleeding, and typically faster recovery.

We offer these surgical treatments:

Endovascular aneurysm repair—the surgeon guides a small tube called a stent-graft to the damaged section of your aorta through an artery in the arm or leg. Once in place, the stent-graft acts as a new lining for your aorta and allows blood to flow through.
Open aneurysm surgery—the surgeon accesses the aneurysm through an incision in the skin and repairs the damaged section of the aorta with a synthetic fabric graft.
Hybrid aneurysm surgery—in complex cases, the surgeon uses both endovascular techniques and open surgery to repair the aorta.

Specialized Surgeries for Complex Aortic Aneurysm Repair

We offer highly specialized surgeries for complex aneurysms. Our advanced heart program is home to expert cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons. If you need complex surgery, we will discuss the best option for you so you can make an informed choice about your treatment:

Ross procedure—a donor valve replaces your pulmonary valve, which we then use to replace your damaged aortic valve.
Valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure)—we repair the aneurysm without replacing the aortic valve.
Aortic arch aneurysm repair—we can perform this highly complex procedure endovascularly (minimally invasive through a blood vessel) or with open surgery (larger incision).
Thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery—this extremely complex surgery involves large sections of the aorta that extend from the chest into the abdomen. We can perform the procedure endovascularly or with open surgery.