Aneurysms and Dissections
An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in an artery. Aneurysms can form in arteries of all sizes. An aneurysm occurs when the pressure of blood passing through part of a weakened artery forces the vessel to bulge outward, forming what you might think of as a blister. Not all aneurysms are life-threatening. But if the bulging stretches the artery too far, this vessel may burst, causing a person to bleed to death. An aneurysm that bleeds into the brain can lead to stroke or death.
Aortic dissection occurs when the layers of the wall of the aorta separate or are torn, allowing blood to flow between those layers and causing them to separate further. When the aortic wall separates, blood cannot flow freely, and the aortic wall may burst.
- In the arteries that supply blood to the brain. This is called a cerebral aneurysm.
- In parts of the aorta. The aorta is the large vessel that carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Aortic aneurysms can occur in the area below the stomach (abdominal aneurysm) or in the chest (thoracic aneurysm). An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually located below the kidneys. Aortic dissection can occur in the aorta and its main branches.
- In the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle). If a section of the heart wall becomes damaged after a heart attack, scarring occurs and the heart wall grows thinner and weaker. This may cause a ventricular aneurysm to form. The weakened area of aneurysm does not work well, which makes your heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. Ventricular aneurysms may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, or an irregular heart beat (arrhythmia). If a ventricular aneurysm leads to congestive heart failure, left ventricular heart failure, or arrhythmia, your doctor may want you to have surgery.
- Atherosclerosis (a build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries).
- High blood pressure.
- Smoking.
- Deep wounds, injuries, or infections of the blood vessels.
- A congenital abnormality (a condition that you are born with).
- Inherited diseases. An inherited disease such as Marfan syndrome, which affects the body’s connective tissue, causes people to have long bones and very flexible joints. People with this syndrome often have aneurysms.
- Aortic aneurysms may cause shortness of breath, a croaky or raspy voice, backache, or pain in your left shoulder or between your shoulder blades.
- Aortic dissection may cause sudden and severe pain, and patients often feel like something is ripping or tearing inside of them. The pain is mainly felt in the chest, but it can spread to the back or between the shoulder blades. Aortic dissection may also cause sudden stomach pain, lower back pain, or flu-like symptoms. If blood leaks from the dissection and builds up in the chest, the blood may enter the pericardial space (the sac that surrounds the heart) and prevent the heart from filling properly. This can lead to a life-threatening condition called cardiac tamponade.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysms may cause pain or tenderness below your stomach, make you less hungry, or give you an upset stomach.
- Cerebral (brain) aneurysms may have no symptoms, although you may have headaches, pain in your neck and face, or trouble seeing and talking.
Benefits of the procedure include no general anesthesia (you are awake for the procedure), a shorter hospital stay (about 24 hours), a faster recovery, and no large scars.
More information about the previous text:
http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/Aneurysm.cfm
An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in an artery. Aneurysms can form in arteries of all sizes. An aneurysm occurs when the pressure of blood passing through part of a weakened artery forces the vessel to bulge outward, forming what you might think of as a blister. Not all aneurysms are life-threatening. But if the bulging stretches the artery too far, this vessel may burst, causing a person to bleed to death. An aneurysm that bleeds into the brain can lead to stroke or death.
Aortic dissection occurs when the layers of the wall of the aorta separate or are torn, allowing blood to flow between those layers and causing them to separate further. When the aortic wall separates, blood cannot flow freely, and the aortic wall may burst.
- In the arteries that supply blood to the brain. This is called a cerebral aneurysm.
- In parts of the aorta. The aorta is the large vessel that carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Aortic aneurysms can occur in the area below the stomach (abdominal aneurysm) or in the chest (thoracic aneurysm). An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually located below the kidneys. Aortic dissection can occur in the aorta and its main branches.
- In the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle). If a section of the heart wall becomes damaged after a heart attack, scarring occurs and the heart wall grows thinner and weaker. This may cause a ventricular aneurysm to form. The weakened area of aneurysm does not work well, which makes your heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. Ventricular aneurysms may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, or an irregular heart beat (arrhythmia). If a ventricular aneurysm leads to congestive heart failure, left ventricular heart failure, or arrhythmia, your doctor may want you to have surgery.
- Atherosclerosis (a build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries).
- High blood pressure.
- Smoking.
- Deep wounds, injuries, or infections of the blood vessels.
- A congenital abnormality (a condition that you are born with).
- Inherited diseases. An inherited disease such as Marfan syndrome, which affects the body’s connective tissue, causes people to have long bones and very flexible joints. People with this syndrome often have aneurysms.
- Aortic aneurysms may cause shortness of breath, a croaky or raspy voice, backache, or pain in your left shoulder or between your shoulder blades.
- Aortic dissection may cause sudden and severe pain, and patients often feel like something is ripping or tearing inside of them. The pain is mainly felt in the chest, but it can spread to the back or between the shoulder blades. Aortic dissection may also cause sudden stomach pain, lower back pain, or flu-like symptoms. If blood leaks from the dissection and builds up in the chest, the blood may enter the pericardial space (the sac that surrounds the heart) and prevent the heart from filling properly. This can lead to a life-threatening condition called cardiac tamponade.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysms may cause pain or tenderness below your stomach, make you less hungry, or give you an upset stomach.
- Cerebral (brain) aneurysms may have no symptoms, although you may have headaches, pain in your neck and face, or trouble seeing and talking.
Benefits of the procedure include no general anesthesia (you are awake for the procedure), a shorter hospital stay (about 24 hours), a faster recovery, and no large scars.
More information about the previous text:
http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/Aneurysm.cfm