Thoracic Aorta
Expert teams for thoracic aorta treatment
The aorta is the largest artery – a type of blood vessel – in your body. It carries blood away from your heart to the rest of the body. Where it runs through your chest, it is called the thoracic aorta.
Disease or damage to the thoracic aorta can cause life-threatening complications, but OHSU Heart & Vascular care includes experienced specialists for the rapid, comprehensive care of patients with these complex disorders. Our Thoracic Aorta Program brings together physicians from the Section of Adult Cardiac Surgery with doctors from OHSU’s Department of Radiology and Division of Vascular Surgery. We take a team approach to make sure you receive the best care available.
Innovative treatments for elective and emergency surgery
In addition to traditional surgery to replace the damaged or diseased aorta tissue, OHSU’s specialists perform aortic valve-sparing operations and aortic stent grafting procedures. We are continually evaluating and adopting new ways to lower the risk of aortic surgery complications.
Depending on your thoracic aorta condition, you might be able to plan surgery at a convenient time (elective surgery) or need an emergency procedure. Elective surgery can prevent life-threatening complications of aortic disease or damage. Talk to your OHSU Heart & Vascular doctor to learn more about your condition and treatment options.
Elective procedures include:
- Replacement of the aortic root
- Reconstruction of the aortic arch
- Replacement of all or part of the thoracic aorta
An endovascular stent graft can be used to make surgery less invasive.
Emergency thoracic aorta surgeries include:
- Repair of aortic dissection (layers of aorta wall have begun to separate)
- Replacement of the aortic valve in acute valve incompetence (aortic valve stops working, allowing blood to flow back into the heart instead of out to the body)
- Repair of traumatic aortic transection (aorta is torn open in an accident or injury)
- Replacement of a ruptured aneurysm
A regional leader in clinical trial participation
OHSU is the only medical center on the West coast selected to participate in a National Institutes of Health-sponsored network for the study of patients with Marfan syndrome and other genetically transmitted aortic conditions. Contact the Thoracic Aorta Program at OHSU to learn more.
