Although not the most common form of cardiovascular disease, disorders of the aorta (the main artery that supplies blood from the heart) can be extremely life threatening. Aneurysms, tears in the inner lining, and penetrating ulcers are all types of aortic diseases that require treatment.

At Stanford, researchers, physicians, and surgeons in many disciplines collaborate together on aortic disorders. The combined work of experts in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiovascular anesthesia, interventional radiology, and genetics help determine the causes of aortic diseases, such as thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection, and to find safer treatments.

Researchers are finding new ways to protect vital organs during aortic surgery, exploring genetic mutations to develop ways to screen family members for aortic problems, and isolating the genetic markers that may indicate a person’s susceptibility to the disease.

Procedures that specialists at Stanford perform include:

• Aortic valve replacement
• Ross procedure
• Heart valve replacement
• Aortic root replacement