Aortic Aneurysms and Dissection Treatment

Whether you need treatment or monitoring for an aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection, our Sentara care team will provide you with advanced, personalized and comprehensive care. We offer expert guidance, medical management, minimally invasive procedures and surgery to treat your condition.

Your doctor's recommendation depends on:

The size of the aneurysm or dissection
The location of the aneurysm or dissection
How quickly it is growing

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Medical Management

For smaller, slower-growing aneurysms, your doctor may recommend medications for blood pressure control, lipid lowering medications (statins), aspirin and closely monitoring the aneurysm's size. We might also recommend avoiding strenuous activities. With this type of monitoring, called watchful waiting, you will undergo regularly scheduled medical imaging tests, such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) angiography. If the aneurysm grows large enough to require treatment, your doctor may recommend surgical or minimally invasive treatment.

Depending on the type and size of the aortic dissection, your doctor will consider treating you with medication or surgery. If the dissection affects the descending aorta (type B dissection), your doctor may first recommend managing it with medications used to control high blood pressure and monitoring the condition. If the dissection worsens, your doctor may then recommend surgery.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

When appropriate, we may recommend minimally invasive treatments. We use the most effective, least invasive procedure possible. Advantages of minimally invasive procedures include:

Smaller incisions
Less trauma, blood loss and pain
Fewer complications
Shorter hospital stay
Faster recovery times

Your surgeon performs endovascular repair, a minimally invasive procedure, with a special catheter (a thin, flexible tube) that holds an endograft, a synthetic tube. He or she makes a small incision in arteries located in the groin and advances a catheter through the blood vessels to the location of the aneurysm or dissection. Then the surgeon attaches the endograft to the inner artery wall. The endograft forms a tunnel through which blood flows, relieving the pressure on the weakened portion of the aorta.

Surgical Aneurysm Repair

Surgical Aortic Dissection Repair

Surgery is necessary if the dissection happened near where the aorta leaves the heart (called a type A dissection). If a type B dissection (one occurring in the descending aorta) worsens, surgery may also be necessary using a combination of both open and endovascular surgery.

During surgery, the surgeon removes the dissected portion of the aorta and connects a synthetic tube, called a graft, to take the place of the dissected portion of the aorta.

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