The best aortic disease management is a team effort. Our interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons work together to provide both traditional open aortic surgery and minimally invasive options.
Their collaboration means our patients have access to the full suite of aortic surgery options—even more complex procedures like aortic root replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Our specialists can often operate at the same time, helping some people avoid multiple procedures.
About the Aorta
The aorta is your body’s largest artery. It is shaped like a cane and runs from the heart to the pelvis. Along the way, blood vessels branch off it so it can deliver oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
Because the aorta spans multiple body systems, different specialists are involved in its care, including:
- Cardiovascular surgeons
- Interventional cardiologists
- Vascular specialists
Conditions We Treat With Aortic Surgery
Doctors use aortic surgery to treat aortic diseases including:
- Aortic dissection (tear in the wall of the aorta)
- Aortic ulcer (when plaque wears down the wall of the aorta)
- Aortic valve stenosis (when the aortic valve—where blood from the heart enters the aorta—becomes narrow and stiff)
- Aortic valve regurgitation (when the aortic valve doesn’t close properly, causing blood to leak back into the heart)
- Aortic aneurysms, including:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA (bulge in the lower part of the aorta)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm (bulge in the top part of the aorta)
- Thoracoabdominal aneurysm (bulge spanning both the top and bottom of the aorta)
Aortic Surgery: The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Advantage
As one of the top-ranked hospitals in the U.S., we provide excellent surgical outcomes in a close-knit, community setting. Board-certified specialists from these heart and vascular practices oversee your care:
These doctors are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in cardiovascular surgery and minimally invasive heart procedures. Together, they deliver the latest advances and high-quality care.
We also offer:
- World-class surgery close to home: Penn Medicine surgeons who have completed the highest level of training in their specialty perform our aortic surgeries. They are experienced and skilled in the full range of techniques and procedures. As a result, our patients have outcomes that are among the best in the country.
- Hybrid operating room (OR): We are one of the only hospitals in the Lancaster region with a hybrid OR. Hybrid ORs make it possible for our heart and vascular surgeons and interventional cardiologists to work side by side. These collaborative procedures mean patients experience less time under anesthesia, smaller incisions and faster recoveries.
- Advanced diagnosis: We use the newest generation of heart imaging tools and tests to diagnose valve disorders early and replace faulty valves without open heart surgery. For example, our echocardiogram machines have strain imaging technology. Strain imaging produces high-quality 3D images that identify aortic stenosis. And our cardiac CTs allow doctors to take precise valve measurements in less than a second. These machines provide a faster, more comfortable experience than previous versions of imaging equipment.
- A-Fib treatment during surgery: We perform Maze procedures to treat atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) at the same time as aortic valve surgeries. A-Fib is a common type of irregular heartbeat. This setup allows you to avoid two surgeries and solves both problems.
- Cardiac rehab: Our comprehensive cardiac and vascular rehab program is among the largest on the East Coast. We help people, including those recovering from aortic surgeries, heal faster and return to life on their terms.
Types of Aortic Surgery
We offer the full range of procedures to treat aortic disease, including:
- Endovascular aortic repair
- AAA surgery
- Aortic valve repair and replacement
- Balloon aortic valvuloplasty
- Valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure)
Endovascular Aortic Repair
Endovascular repair procedures can treat:
- Aortic aneurysms
- Aortic dissections
- Aortic ulcers
Endovascular procedures are a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open procedures. During them, your doctor accesses your aorta by threading a tube through your blood vessels. The tube first enters your body via a tiny skin puncture or small incision.
Endovascular approaches involve less pain and shorter recoveries. Learn more about vascular and endovascular surgery.
AAA Surgery
Our specialists can repair most abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) using minimally invasive methods. During these procedures:
- Our vascular surgeons use special imaging to guide a catheter up to the aneurysm
- They then place a stent (tiny metal tube) covered with fabric within the bulging section of aorta.
- The stent diverts flow away from the weakened area.
We can also treat more complicated aneurysms in parts of the aorta where blood vessels branch off. In fenestrated endovascular aortic repair (FEVAR), our vascular surgeons use special stents with branches that mimic the blood vessels.
Some AAAs can’t be repaired endovascularly. We can treat these aneurysms through an incision in the abdomen. Read more about abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment.
Aortic Valve Repair and Replacement
Our interventional cardiologists were among the first in the region to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). TAVR replaces a damaged aortic valve with a new one made from animal tissue. It treats severe aortic stenosis without open heart surgery, meaning:
- No large incisions
- Less pain
- Lower risk for complications
- Shorter recovery
TAVR provides an option for people who are too high-risk for traditional open heart valve replacement surgery It is also an option for most people who have standard or low risks for open surgery. As TAVR experts, we now perform more than 150 TAVR procedures each year.
We also have the special ability to offer aortic valve repair as an extra treatment option for some younger patients (around 30 to 50 years old). While uncommon, aortic valve repair procedures preserve and fix the existing aortic valve.
Our special skill and experience in valve surgeries means we can successfully treat the full scope of aortic valve conditions—including bicuspid aortic valves. Bicuspid aortic valve disease is the most common congenital (from birth) heart condition.
Learn more our congenital heart disease treatment in adults.
Read more about the comprehensive care we offer in our Structural Heart Program.
Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty
In this catheter-based procedure, we improve blood flow through valves affected by aortic stenosis. Your doctor threads a balloon-tipped catheter up to the valve via an artery in the groin area. Once the balloon reaches the valve, your doctor inflates and deflates it to widen the valve.
Valve-Sparing Aortic Root Replacement (David Procedure)
The aortic root is the end of the aorta attached to the aortic valve. Thoracic aortic aneurysms at the aortic root can stretch the aorta. As a result, the aortic valve can leak. Thoracic aortic aneurysms can also lead to an aortic dissection.
The David Procedure replaces the aortic root while sparing the aortic valve. Sparing your native valve is better than replacing it because:
- Native valves last longer than artificial valves.
- You can potentially avoid taking blood thinners that may be required after replacement valve surgery with certain types of valves.
During valve-sparing aortic root replacement, your surgeon.
- Removes the stretched aortic root and the healthy valve it’s connected to
- Separates the valve from the aortic root
- Sews your native valve to a graft (tube) that will replace the removed aortic root
- Puts the new aortic root and your native valve back into your heart
Make an Appointment
To schedule an aortic surgery consultation, call 717-544-4995.