An aneurysm is when the wall of an artery weakens and balloons out or ruptures.
Aneurysms
Aneurysms form balloons in weakened arteries of our bodies, potentially causing life-threatening problems such as a stroke.
Although aneurysms can form in any weakened artery, they commonly occur in the arteries of the brain and in the aorta, the central artery that extends from your heart through the center of your abdomen and chest.
Certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, can weaken the arteries, which deliver oxygenated blood from our heart to the rest of our bodies. The pressure of blood traveling through the arteries can lead to this balloon-like bulge.
You can have an aneurysm for years without symptoms or problems. Others can have an aneurysm that pops, which can lead to a stroke if bleeding occurs in the brain.
Ruptured aneurysms must be treated quickly, usually within minutes, or it can become deadly: about 50% of all ruptured aneurysms are fatal.
Recently Answered
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3 AnswersA
Piedmont Heart Institute answeredSee All 3 AnswersIf you have aortic aneurysm, but no symptoms, your doctor may find it by chance during a routine physical exam. More often, doctors find aneurysms during tests done for other reasons, such as chest or abdominal pain.
If you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), your doctor may feel a throbbing mass in your abdomen. A rapidly growing aneurysm about to rupture can be tender and very painful when pressed. If you're overweight or obese, it may be hard for your doctor to feel even a large AAA.
If you have an AAA, your doctor may hear rushing blood flow instead of the normal whooshing sound when listening to your abdomen with a stethoscope.
Specialists Involved
Your primary care doctor may refer you to a cardiothoracic or vascular surgeon for diagnosis and treatment of an aortic aneurysm.A cardiothoracic surgeon performs surgery on the heart, lungs, and other organs and structures in the chest, including the aorta. A vascular surgeon performs surgery on the aorta and other blood vessels, except those of the heart and brain.
Diagnostic Tests and Procedures
To diagnose and evaluate an aneurysm, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following tests:- Ultrasound - This simple, painless test uses sound waves to create pictures of the structures inside your body. Ultrasound shows the size of an aneurysm, if one is found.
- Computed Tomography Scan - A computed tomography (CT) scan is a painless test that uses x rays to take clear, detailed pictures of your internal organs.During the test, your doctor will inject a special dye into a vein in your arm. This dye highlights the aorta on the CT scan images.
- Magnetic Resonance imaging - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets and radio waves to create images of the organs and structures in your body. This test is very accurate at detecting aneurysms and pinpointing their size and exact location.
- Angiography - Angiography uses a special dye injected into the bloodstream to highlight the insides of arteries on x-ray pictures. An angiogram shows the amount of damage and blockage in blood vessels.
This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.
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1 AnswerA
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons answeredDoctors perform minimally invasive endovascular procedures to treat aortic aneurysms, using cloth-covered wire mesh tubes called endografts to replace the aorta from within. This is essentially putting a new pipe inside an old, broken-down pipe. However, when critical branches come off the broken-down pipe, the endografts do not permit blood to flow into these branches. To keep blood flowing into these important branches, doctors often have to perform complex and more invasive rerouting procedures. -
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The Medical Center of Aurora answeredSee All 2 AnswersA thoracic aortic aneurysm is a ballooning out of a blood vessel in the chest region.
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HealthCorps answeredIn this condition, the large blood vessel called the aorta that supplies blood flow to the abdomen, pelvis and legs, enlarges and balloons outward. If not detected and treated, the aorta can tear, presenting a life-threatening situation. Your risk is elevated:- If you have a family history of this condition, meaning others in your immediate family had this disease.
- If you are over age 65.
- If you are a man, since men have a higher rate of aortic aneurysm when compared to women
- High blood pressure and a smoking habit raise your risk.
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Patients who are candidates for fenestrated aortic stent grafting have aneurysms close to the kidney arteries. In this video, Joshua Greenberg, MD, of Mercy Health, explains that only a small part of the population qualifies for this procedure.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider. -
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After fenestrated aortic aneurysm repairs, patients can come home several days sooner than in the standard, open surgery. Watch as Joshua Greenberg, MD, of Mercy Health, discusses what patients can expect after the procedure.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider. -
2 AnswersA
Dr. Isaac George, MD , Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular), answered on behalf of Columbia University Department of SurgerySee All 2 AnswersAneurysms can be detected from any number of imaging tests, such as ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), angiogram, and even x-ray if very large.
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Dr. Mark J. Russo, MD , Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular), answeredRather than making a large incision through the breastbone (sternum) to gain access to the heart, minimally invasive valve surgery uses sophisticated instruments to perform the surgery through a smaller incision at the side of the chest while still using standard surgical techniques. These include a mini-thoractomy (though the rib spaces) and a hemi-sternotomy (a partial incision through the breast bone).
An endovascular stent graft repair is a treatment for aneurysms of the descending (thoracic and abdominal) aorta. It is similar to the approach used for a cardiac catheterization of the coronary arteries. This procedure requires only small incisions in the groin. Then the surgeon inserts a catheter through the femoral artery in the groin and with the use of x-ray guidance and specially-designed instruments, the aneurysm can be repaired from inside the aorta by inserting a tube, called a stent-graft. This is possible because the tube, or stent graft, is delivered through the catheter in a collapsed state and then expanded at the site of the aneurysm. The tube replaces and reinforces the diseased aortic wall, ensuring continuity of blood flow while preventing further expansion of the aorta, aortic rupture, and/or aortic dissection.