Pronounced: A-ohr-tick An-u-reh-smEn Español (Spanish Version)
The aorta is the body's largest artery. It carries blood from the heart and delivers it to the rest of the body. The aorta travels through the chest and the abdomen. An aortic aneurysm is a weak, bulging area in the wall of the aorta. The bulging develops from a weakness or defect in the aortic wall. It tends to get bigger with time.
The greatest danger is that an aneurysm will rupture. This will cause heavy, uncontrollable bleeding. Aortic aneurysms can also occur with aortic dissection. Dissection is a small tear in the aortic wall. Blood from the aneurysm can leak through this tear and spread between the layers of the aortic wall. This leads to eventual rupture of the vessel.
Aneurysms can develop anywhere. They are most common in the aorta, iliac artery, and femoral artery.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
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