Treatment for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA)
Specific treatment will be determined by your physician based on:
- Your age, overall health, and medical history
- Extent
of the disease
- Your signs and symptoms
- Your
tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the disease
- Your opinion
or preference
Surgical treatment options for thoracic aortic aneurysms
Non-surgical treatment options for thoracic aortic aneurysms
-
Controlling or modifying risk factors: Steps such as quitting
smoking, controlling blood sugar if diabetic, losing weight if
overweight or obese, and controlling dietary fat intake may help to
control the progression of the aneurysm
-
Medication: To control factors such as hyperlipidemia
(elevated levels of fats in the blood) and/or high blood
pressure
Stanford has an international reputation for the treatment of
patients suffering from thoracic aortic diseases and has made numerous
significant contributions in this area, including:
- The advent of hypothermic circulatory arrest for aortic arch
and other aortic procedures
- Surgical treatment (and
classification) of acute and chronic aortic dissections
- A
multidisciplinary approach for treatment of Marfan syndrome and
associated connective tissue disorders.
- Development of endovascular
stent graft procedures for treatment of thoracic aortic
disease.
Our work in thoracic aortic surgery is led by an integrated team of
specialists from:
- Cardiovascular surgery
- Interventional radiology
- Advanced cardiovascular imaging
The specific services available to your patients suffering from
aortic diseases include:
- Repair of acute aortic dissections
- Surgical treatment
of chronic aortic dissections and aneurysms
- Aortic
valve-sparing aortic
root replacement operation
- Use of endovascular
stent grafts for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms
and aortic dissections
- Interventional catheter-based
treatment of complications of aortic dissection
- Percutaneous endovascular stent graft repair of descending
thoracic aortic aneurysms: A method of reinforcing an aneurysm in
the aorta using a stent, which is a tube made of metal mesh or coil.
The stent helps prevent the aneurysm from bursting.
Asymptomatic aneurysms may not require surgical intervention until
they reach a certain size or are noted to be increasing in size over a
certain period of time. Parameters considered when making surgical
decisions include:
- Aneurysm size greater than 5.5 to 6 centimeters (greater than
two inches)
- Aneurysm growth rate 0.5 centimeters (slightly
less than one-fourth inch) over a period of six months to one
year
- Presence of genetic disorders or familial history of
thoracic aneurysms
- Patient's ability to tolerate the
procedure
- For symptomatic aneurysms, immediate intervention
is indicated