Characteristics

• Most patients are asymptomatic
• No symptoms are attributed to the condition
• Typically it is identified serendipitously through a routine chest X-ray
• Investigation of other heart problems, such as congenital valve defects, also can reveal it
• Pain coinciding with aneurysm can predict a bad outcome when all other sources of pain are ruled out
• Rare, thoracic aortic aneurysm is believed to occur at a rate of 5.9 per 100,000 in the general population
• It is often associated with genetic disorders such as Marfan syndrome, hereditary aortic aneurysm disease and certain valvular abnormalities

Treatments

• All types can be treated with open procedures
• Certain types, including those located in the descending thoracic aorta, are candidates for endovascular stenting
• Endovascular approach involves a small incision in the groin or abdomen and typically a one-or two-day hospital stay

Risk Factors

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Atherosclerosis
• Hyperlipidemia
• Hypercholesterolemia

While all MUSC heart surgeons perform all of the surgeries available at MUSC Heart & Vascular Center, each surgeon specializes in a particular area and performs the bulk of those procedures in order to develop more expertise and achieve better results. Dr. Ikonomidis specializes in endovascular stenting and an array of open procedures to treat thoracic aortic aneurysm.

MUSC’s comprehensive thoracic aorta team treats a high volume of patients with aortic aneurysms and hereditary connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome.

• Cardiologists provide state-of-the-art medical treatments
• Cardiovascular and vascular surgeons offer all available permutations for thoracic aortic surgery
• Interventional radiologists routinely collaborate with surgeons on endovascular procedures