Aortic rupture
| Aortic rupture | |
|---|---|
| Aorta segments, with thoracic aorta in area marked in green. | |
| Specialty | Vascular surgery, cardiology, emergency medicine |
| Symptoms | Abdominal pain, flank pain, or back pain |
| Complications | Shock, anemia |
| Usual onset | Acute |
| Causes | Ruptured aortic aneurysm, trauma |
| Treatment | Surgical repair |
| Prognosis | Poor |
| Deaths | Up to 90% of cases |
Aortic rupture is the breakage of all walls of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Aortic rupture is a rare, extremely dangerous condition that is considered a medical emergency. The most common cause is an abdominal aortic aneurysm that has ruptured spontaneously. Aortic rupture is distinct from aortic dissection, which is a tear through the inner wall of the aorta that can block the flow of blood through the aorta to the heart or abdominal organs.
An aortic rupture can be classified according to its cause into one of the following main types:
- Traumatic aortic rupture
- Aortic rupture secondary to an aortic aneurysm