Treatment options for conditions affecting the aorta
Aortic surgery describes a number of procedures to treat conditions that affect the aorta. The aorta is the body’s largest blood vessel, and it carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart as it’s pumped to the rest of your body. Conditions that affect the aorta can be very serious and even life-threatening without expert surgical care.
Our Complex Aortic Center brings together heart surgeons and vascular surgeons to work as a team on the challenging conditions that affect the aorta, such as aortic aneurysms and aortic dissection.
We’re able to perform complex surgeries that other centers can’t, including minimally invasive options. And because of our participation in clinical trials and research, our patients often have access to treatment options before they’re available in other locations.
What types of aortic surgery are available?
Some of the many aortic surgical procedures our doctors offer include:
Conditions
Coarctation of the Aorta
Coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of the aorta, the body’s largest artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.Aortic Ulcers
An aortic ulcer can penetrate the wall of the aorta, decreasing blood flow and allowing blood to leak and cause internal bleeding.
Marfan Syndrome
Marfan syndrome is a chronic genetic condition that affects connective tissues and can cause serious heart complications.
Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS)
Median arcuate ligament syndrome is a compression of the celiac artery that reduces blood flow to the digestive system and causes severe abdominal pain.
Tests
Angiogram (Angiography)
An angiogram is a special X-ray taken as a special dye is injected through a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to detect blockages or aneurysms in blood vessels.Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
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Thelma Dianne Aguilar, AGACNP
Cardiac Surgery
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Ammar S Bafi, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology, Structural Heart Disease Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery
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Brian Thomas Bethea, MD
Cardiac Surgery
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Ashley Chenoweth, AGACNP-BC
Cardiac Surgery
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Jeffrey E. Cohen, MD
Cardiac Surgery
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John V Conte, MD
Cardiac Surgery
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Laura Lee Cramer-Joyce, CRNP
Cardiac Surgery
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Rachel E Harrison, MD
Cardiac Surgery
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Yuji Kawano, MD
Cardiac Surgery
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Dureaden Khan, PA
Cardiac Surgery
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Jane Lashley, ACNP-BC
Thoracic Surgery & Cardiac Surgery
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Kathleen J. Lavery, ACNP-BC, MSN, APRN
Cardiac Surgery
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Eugenia M. McDonnell, CRNP
Cardiac Surgery
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Stacey Elizabeth Miller, ANP-BC
Cardiac Surgery
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Nicole M Monte-Bovi, AGACNP-BC
Cardiac Surgery
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Elizabeth C. Sullivan, ANP-BC,CRNP
Cardiac Surgery
Our locations
Distance from Change locationEnter your location
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
201 E. University Pkwy. Baltimore, MD 21218
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
110 Irving St. NW Washington, DC 20010
Ask MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Have general questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at AskMHVI@medstar.net. If you have clinically-specific questions, please contact your physician’s office.