BY DR. EDWARD Y. WOO
The aorta, the main vessel that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body, is made of 3 layers. An aortic dissection is a tear that occurs between the innermost and middle layers of the aorta. Aortic dissections occur in approximately 3 per 100,000 patients per year. Both men and women are affected.
Can be harmless, serious or life-threatening
Sometimes an aortic dissection is harmless. However, this is not always the case.
- Aortic dissections can compromise blood flow to your kidneys, liver, bowels and legs. This condition is called malperfusion and can cause kidney failure, paralysis and a lack of blood flow to the legs.
- Aortic dissections can also cause your aorta to rupture, which may lead to life-threatening bleeding.