Aortic Disease Care

Key Takeaways

• Aortic disease often develops without noticeable symptoms until it becomes life-threatening.
• Understanding your risk factors is the most important step toward early detection and prevention.
• With more than 100 years of experience, UChicago Medicine routinely accepts high-risk patients turned away by other hospitals and delivers consistently low mortality rates.

Through ongoing clinical trials, our patients gain access to treatments before they are widely available.

What Are Aortic Diseases?

Aortic diseases are a range of conditions that affect the body’s largest blood vessel, the aorta, including:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
• Thoracic aortica aneurysm (TAA)
• Aortic dissection

These conditions may develop silently over time.

At the University of Chicago Medicine's Center for Aortic Diseases, our nationally recognized cardiac and vascular surgeons offer advanced care for even the most complex cases. Drawing on decades of experience and leadership in the field, we work as a team to provide patients with innovative diagnosis, effective treatments, and personalized support for every stage of aortic disease.

Ready to get expert care? Request an appointment or call 1-773-702-6128 to connect with our aortic disease specialists.

Team-Based Approach to Aortic Disease

Our aortic experts — led by vascular and cardiac surgeons — have developed a team-based approach to care that begins with diagnosis and continues through treatment and follow-up.

Our team works together to look at each patient's case. We discuss their specific health problem, how serious it is, and any other risks from their health, family or genes. Then, we look at all the treatment choices and recommend the best one.

Unmatched Experience and Personalized Treatment

Our aortic program offers:

• A recognized track record of success
• Low mortality rates
• High rates of positive outcomes

We routinely take on complex cases — including high-risk patients who were denied care at other hospitals — and provide the life-saving treatment they need.

We use many advanced techniques and tools to treat aortic conditions, so we can tailor care to fit each patient’s unique needs. This flexibility lets us combine procedures and devices for a truly tailored treatment that offers the best and safest option for long-term success.

Aortic Treatment Options

Minimally Invasive and Endovascular Repair

For eligible patients, endovascular repair offers:

• Shorter hospital stays
• Faster recovery
• Reduced surgical risk

About 90% of the patients we see at UChicago Medicine are able to have their aneurysm fixed with stents.

Open Aneurysm Repair

During an open repair, our surgeons replace the weakened part of the aorta and sew an artificial tube-shaped graft into place to allow proper blood flow. Depending on the case, patients typically spend 5 to 7 days in the hospital and fully recover within 6 weeks to 3 months.

Hybrid Repair

Many patients benefit from combining open and endovascular techniques. Our ability to customize treatment using multiple methods and devices allows us to achieve optimal results for each patient's unique anatomy.

Learn more about types of aneurysm repair.

Groundbreaking Research and Clinical Trials

Our researchers are committed to advancing care for aortic disease patients. Through leading-edge basic, translational and clinical research, we are exploring new treatment options for aortic dissections and aneurysms, investigating ways to customize medicine and improve the longevity of patient outcomes.

Through our ongoing clinical trials, patients at UChicago Medicine gain access to the latest treatments before they are widely available to the public. Learn more about aortic disease research.

Risk Factors for Aortic Disease

Aortic disease does not typically have noticeable symptoms until the condition is potentially fatal. Understanding your risk factors can help you recognize what lifestyle or genetic influences may pose a threat before the condition becomes life-threatening.

Common risk factors include:

• Age: Greater than 50
• Gender: Aortic disease affects men more than women
• Family history: Higher rates of aortic disease occur when one or more family members have been previously diagnosed
• Genetic factors: Certain collagen vascular disorders (including Marfan Syndrome, Loeys-Dietz Syndrome and Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) lead to a higher risk of aortic disease
• Lifestyle factors: Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes all increase the likelihood of aortic disease
• Pre-existing aneurysm: A previous aneurysm increases the chances of developing additional aneurysms

Get Expert Care at UChicago Medicine

• To schedule an aortic evaluation, request an appointment or call 1-773-702-6128.

If you are experiencing sudden severe chest or back pain, go to the nearest emergency room immediately.