How Serious Is A Ruptured Aorta?

The aorta is the most prominent blood vessel, and a durable workhorse for it continuously helps in the distribution of the blood pumped through the heart. However, the walls of the aorta can become weak and bulge causing a condition called as an aortic aneurysm. Spilling of the blood occurs into the body when there is a breakage of the aorta bulge.

Not all protrudes developed on aorta rupture. In many cases, the swelling causes deviation of the blood flow to the vital organs of the body such as kidneys and tissues causing troubles such as stroke, heart attacks, and damage to the kidneys. All these troubles result in death.

An individual suffering from a ruptured aorta will suffer from severe symptoms of stomach ache, sudden development of pain in the abdomen and back, vomiting sensations, feeling dizziness, and sweating excessively. Although there is no specific reason behind the occurrence of an aorta aneurysm, doctors suspect the role of the following in the development of the same:

• Hardening of the arteries
• Use of tobacco products
• Family medical history
• High blood pressure.

In addition to the above, the other risk factors that can pose a threat to the development of an aorta aneurysm include infection, inflammation of the blood vessels, and genetic disorder.

In case the physician senses the presence of an aneurysm, there is a high degree that blood clots are present too. It is possible for the formation of the blood clots in the aneurysm region causing obstruction to the movement of blood to the legs and other organs.

Although an aorta aneurysm can occur in any part of the body, the primary locations for the presence of the same occur in the abdominal and the chest.

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm – Genes play a crucial role in the development of this aneurysm. People have the disorder of Marfan syndrome, bicuspid aortic valve, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome. The other causes include infections, increased the content of cholesterol, traumatic injury, high blood pressure, and buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm – It can occur in the portion of the aorta that passes through the abdomen. It is not possible to detect one until an individual experience back pain, the pain to one side of the stomach, and throbbing sensation in the navel.

To identify the presence of an aorta aneurysm, doctors perform tests such as CT scan, ultrasound, echocardiogram, and x-ray. These tests will be helpful in determining the presence of an aneurysm, the size of the same, and its location. All these play a crucial role in determining the seriousness of the case.

If the size of an aneurysm is small, the physician will keep the patient under observation. During this period, the patient will follow a series of instructions provided such as quitting smoking and following a healthy diet that will be helpful in reducing the blood pressure. The individual will also attend regular screenings, as it will be useful for the doctor to monitor the situation.

In case the aneurysm is large, the doctor chooses surgery. However, before finalizing the operation, the surgeon will consider numerous factors such as the age of the patient, previous history, risk factors associated with the surgery, and overall health condition. The operation will replace the damaged part of the aorta with an artificial due that will strengthen the aorta functioning.

References:

Also Read:

• Ruptured Aorta: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention
• What Happens When An Aortic Aneurysm Ruptures?