Diseases of the thoracic vessels

The disease conditions that affect the aorta in the chest usually involved widening (aneurysm) due to a congenital or acquired weakness of the vessel wall. Pure thinning of the wall may occur, but tears of the vessel wall are also possible.

To prevent spontaneous rupture of the vessel, the diseased portion must be replaced by a Dacron tube, which will last for life. During the operation, the patient’s body is usually cooled greatly (hypothermia) so that the operation can be performed with circulatory arrest (e.g. at the aortic arch). Disease in the descending part of the aorta can be managed surgically with a Dacron-coated stent.