About the UPMC Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease
Thoracic aortic disease refers to conditions that affect the aorta — the largest artery in the body — which carries all the blood that is pumped out of the heart. Bulging or weakened areas in the wall of the aorta, known as aneurysms, can form due to disease or genetics. Aneurysms will enlarge over time, and then may be at risk for tearing (dissection) or rupture, which can cause life threatening bleeding and potentially death. Treatment options, based on your condition and the size of aneurysm or extent of the dissection, include medication to help control your blood pressure or surgical intervention to repair the affected portion of the aorta.
Approximately 15,000 Americans are diagnosed with thoracic aneurysms (TAA) each year. Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) are less common.
Why choose UPMC for thoracic aortic disease care?
At the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute's Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease, our multidisciplinary approach to care and extensive experience – including 899 open heart cases and 229 aortic cases in 2018 – offers patients many benefits.
- Ability to have a comprehensive evaluation at one location.
- Minimally invasive treatment options include endovascular thoracic aortic repairs using stent grafts and aortic root reconstructions that preserve the aortic valve.
- Access to the latest cardiovascular research and trials – the Center is a leading enroller in the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissections (IRAD), as well as the leading implanter of the Cook Zenith Dissection Endovascular System.
- The multidisciplinary team from the Center For Thoracic Aortic Disease, developing the protocols of tomorrow, published a total of 65 aortic-related publications in 2018.
Optimizing care. Saving lives.
The CTAD brings together experts with defined clinical and academic focuses on conditions and treatments for thoracic aortic diseases, including:
Thoracic Aortic Diseases/Conditions We Treat
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Treatment Options
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What To Expect
Advanced care with a single office visit
Patients with thoracic aortic disease often must consult many different specialists to address various aspects of their disease. At the UPMC Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease, our system streamlines care for patients.
When patients are referred, they undergo a comprehensive evaluation by the integrated, multidisciplinary team, at one location — the Thoracic Aortic Clinic at UPMC Presbyterian.
We offer consultations by specialists, including:
- Cardiologists
- Cardiovascular surgeons
- Geneticists
- Radiologists
- Vascular surgeons
- Neurologists
These appointments often can be coordinated with diagnostic imaging and cardiology testing in the same clinic, often in the same day. By bringing specialized testing and experts to the patient, the CTAD helps break down communication barriers, so that specialists can more closely collaborate on treatment planning for patients with thoracic aortic disease.
Those treatments may include minimally invasive approaches. Compared to traditional, open surgery, minimally invasive approaches offer patients the potential for:
- Smaller incisions
- Less post-operative pain
- Fewer complications
- A quicker recovery
Qualifying patients may be treated with thoracic endovascular therapy (stent grafts), a minimally invasive approach that could delay, or eliminate, the need for open-heart surgery.