Treatments for Aortic Disease

Personalized Treatment Plans for Each Patient

The University of Chicago Medicine Center for Aortic Disease is a collaboration of leaders who specialize in treating complex aortic disease. We use an approach that centers around tailored treatments based on each patient’s individual diagnosis, aortic anatomy, risk factors and more to create the safest and most effective treatment plan. In some cases, medication and lifestyle changes can decrease the risk of the condition worsening, while in other cases, surgery will be the ideal recommendation.

To give our patients the best chance for long-term success, we have a variety of techniques and specialty devices that allow us to use the right combination of tools for patient specific aortic size, shape and severity.

Lifestyle Modification to Prevent Aortic Disease

We offer a range of medical options to prevent or manage aortic disease, such as making lifestyle changes that can delay the advancement of aortic disease. Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels can prevent plaque from building up in your arteries and reduces the chance of aneurysms or dissections. Additionally, for those who smoke, quitting smoking will lower your risk of aortic disease and keep your aorta healthier for longer. If you are struggling with quitting, there are resources for smoking cessation groups that can help.

Active Monitoring to Avoid Severe Aortic Damage

For those who are at risk for or have been diagnosed with aortic disease, routinely monitoring the size and shape of your aorta regularly allows us to measure any changes or tell us if your condition is becoming dangerous before you are at risk for rupture.

As our team monitors your aorta’s progress, we might recommend additional scans and tests as needed to ensure we have a complete picture of your aorta to assess its health.

Surgical Options for Aortic Diseases

Aortic disease patients may need surgery to repair an aneurysm or dissection, and our surgeons have pioneered many of the latest surgical techniques for aortic disease, including minimally invasive techniques for smaller incisions and faster healing, and the NEXUS® aortic arch stent graft system. We perform:

• Open aortic repair
• Endovascular aortic repair
• Hybrid aortic repair