Coarctation of the aorta

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Coarctation of the aorta

Aortic coarctation

Surgery is usually recommended. The narrowed part of the aorta will be removed. If the problem area was small, the two free ends of the aorta may be re-connected. This is called anastomosis. If a large part of the aorta was removed, a Dacron graft (a synthetic material) is used to fill the gap

In some cases, balloon angioplasty may be done instead of surgery.

Coarctation of the aorta can be cured with surgery. Symptoms quickly get better after surgery.

However, there is an increased risk for death due to heart problems among those who have had their aorta repaired. But, without treatment, most people die before age 40. For this reason, doctors usually recommend that the patient has surgery before age 10. Most of the time, surgery to fix the coarctation is done during infancy.

• Aortic aneurysm
• Aortic dissection
• Aortic rupture
• Severe hypertension
• Endocarditis
• Intracerebral hemorrhage
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Premature development of coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Paraplegia (rare complication of surgery to repair coarctation)

Call your health care provider if you or your child have symptoms of coarctation of the aorta.

Call your health care provider if fainting or chest pain develops; these may be signs of a serious problem.

Review Date: 07/17/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.