AORTIC SURGERY

Innovative surgical techniques

Cardiac surgeon Konstantinos Spiliotopoulos is specialized in Open and Endovascular Aortic Surgery and is distinguished for his high scientific expertise and the provision of high quality medical services. In the context of his clinical training, he specialized in Aortic Surgery with the famous aortic surgeon J.S. Coselli (Baylor St’ Luke’s Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine & Texas Heart Institute, Houston/Texas/USA). It is worth mentioning that the cardiac surgeon Konstantinos Spiliotopoulos, in 2016, was the faculty speaker -commentator at the top American conference of Aortic Surgery -AATS Aortic Symposium- in New York.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body and carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the other organs and tissues of the human body, making it necessary for its survival. The part of the aorta that passes through the chest is called thoracic aorta, while the part of the aorta that passes through the abdomen is called abdominal aorta.

What is the thoracic aortic aneurysm?

Aortic aneurysm is called the abnormal dilatation (like a bubble) of its wall; when this occurs for various reasons, it is weakened and loses its normal structure and resistance to the pressure of the blood that passes through it. Aneurysms, depending on their form, are divided into fusiform (evenly dilatated) and saccular (located on one side of the pathological aortic wall like a bubble) ones. The aneurysms of the abdominal aorta are called “abdominal aortic aneurysms”, while the aneurysms of the thoracic aorta are called “thoracic aortic aneurysms” and can be located in any of its parts, such as the aortic root (at its heart origin), the ascending aorta, the aortic arch and the descending thoracic aorta. More extensive aneurysms can occupy both the thoracic and the abdominal aorta and are called “thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms”.

Who can be affected by thoracic aortic aneurysm?

It is estimated that in the United States 15,000 patients are affected every year by thoracic aortic aneurysms, while approximately 47,000 patients die every year of every type of aortic diseases - more than the ones who die of breast cancer, AIDS or motor vehicle accidents-, rendering it a silent epidemic.

Is thoracic aortic aneurysm a serious disease?

Thoracic aortic aneurysm is a serious risk for human health because, depending on its detection and size, it can rupture (rupture of the aortic wall) or dissect (dissection of the aortic wall layers), causing a life-threatening internal bleeding and requires urgent medical treatment. However, if it is detected on time, a thoracic aortic aneurysm can often be treated with surgery or other less invasive methods, on an elective basis basis with better results.