Aorta

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The course of the aorta

• Ascending aorta
  Ascending aorta
  
  The ascending aorta is a portion of the aorta commencing at the upper part of the base of the left ventricle, on a level with the lower border of the third costal cartilage behind the left half of the sternum; it passes obliquely upward, forward, and to the right, in the direction of the heart?s axis, as high as the upper border of the second...
  —the section between the heart and the arch of aorta
• Arch of aorta—the peak part that looks somewhat like an inverted "U"
• Descending aorta
  Descending aorta
  
  The descending aorta is part of the Aorta, the largest artery in the body. The descending aorta is the part of the aorta beginning at the Aortic arch that runs down through the Chest and Abdomen....
  —the section from the arch of aorta to the point where it divides into the common iliac arteries
• Thoracic aorta
  Thoracic aorta
  
  The thoracic aorta is contained in the posterior mediastinal cavity.It begins at the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra where it is continuous with the aortic arch, and ends in front of the lower border of the tenth thoracic vertebra, at the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm where it becomes the abdominal aorta....
  —the half of the descending aorta above the diaphragm
  Thoracic diaphragm
  
  In the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm is a sheet of muscle extending across the bottom of the ribcage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in Respiration ....
  
• Abdominal aorta
  Abdominal aorta
  
  The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the abdominal cavity. As part of the aorta, it is a direct continuation of descending aorta ....
  —the half of the descending aorta below the diaphragm
  Thoracic diaphragm
  
  In the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm is a sheet of muscle extending across the bottom of the ribcage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in Respiration ....
  

Features

Diseases/pathology

• Aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva
  Aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva
  
  Aneurysm of the aortic sinus, also known as the sinus of Valsalva, is comparatively rare. When present, it is usually in either the right or in the noncoronary sinus, rarely in the left sinus....
  
• Aortic aneurysm
  Aortic aneurysm
  
  An aortic aneurysm is a general term for any swelling of the aorta, usually representing an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that location....
   - myotic, bacterial (e.g. syphilis
  Syphilis
  
  Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always through sexual contact, although there are examples of congenital syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero....
  ), senile, genetic, associated with valvular heart disease
  Valvular heart disease
  
  Valvular heart disease is any disease process involving one or more of the Heart valve . Valve problems may be congenital or acquired . Treatment may be with medication but often involves valve repair or valve replacement ....
  
• Dissecting aortic aneurysm
  Aortic dissection
  
  Aortic dissection is a tear in the wall of the aorta that causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and force the layers apart....
  
• Aortic coarctation
  Aortic coarctation
  
  Coarctation of the aorta, or Aortic coarctation, is the name given to a congenital condition whereby the aorta narrows in the area where the ductus arteriosus inserts....
   - pre-ductal
  Ductus arteriosus
  
  In the developing fetus, the ductus arteriosus is a shunt connecting the pulmonary artery to the aorta that allows most of the blood from the right ventricle to bypass the fetus' fluid-filled lungs....
  , post-ductal
• Atherosclerosis
  Atherosclerosis
  
  Atherosclerosis is a syndrome affecting artery blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density lipoproteins without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoprot...
  
• Marfan syndrome
  Marfan syndrome
  
  Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue.It is sometimes inherited as a Autosomal dominant trait. It is carried by a gene called FBN1, which encodes a connective protein called fibrillin-1....
  
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
  Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
  
  Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of rare genetic disorders affecting humans caused by a defect in collagen synthesis. Depending on the individual mutation, the severity of the syndrome can vary from mild to life-threatening....
  
• Aortic stenosis
• Trauma
  Physical trauma
  
  Physical trauma refers to a body injury. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as Shock , respiratory failure and death....
  , such as traumatic aortic rupture
  Traumatic aortic rupture
  
  Traumatic aortic rupture, also called traumatic aortic disruption or transection, is a condition in which the aorta, the largest artery in the body, is torn or ruptured as the result of trauma....
  , most often thoracic and distal to the left subclavian artery and frequently quickly fatal

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