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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
The exact causes of thoracic aortic aneurysms are unknown, but factors that can contribute to an aneurysm's development include:
- Marfan syndrome. People who are born with Marfan syndrome, a genetic condition that affects the connective tissue in the body, are particularly at risk of a thoracic aortic aneurysm. Those with Marfan syndrome may have a weakness in the aortic wall that makes them more susceptible to aneurysm. People with Marfan syndrome often have distinct physical traits, including tall stature, very long arms, a deformed breastbone and eye problems.
- Other connective tissue diseases. Besides Marfan syndrome, other connective tissue diseases, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, can contribute to a thoracic aortic aneurysm. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome causes your skin, joints and connective tissue to be fragile and makes your skin stretch easily.
- Problems with your heart's valves. Sometimes, people who have problems with their aortic valve, the valve that blood flows through as it leaves your heart, have an increased risk of thoracic aortic aneurysm. This is especially true for people who have a bicuspid aortic valve, meaning their aortic valve has only two leaflets instead of three.
- Previous injury to the aorta. You're more likely to have a thoracic aortic aneurysm if you've had previous problems with your aorta, such as a tear in the wall of the aorta (aortic dissection).
- Traumatic injury. Some people who are injured in falls or motor vehicle crashes develop thoracic aortic aneurysms.
An aortic aneurysm is different from a condition called aortic dissection. Aortic dissection often occurs in the same place many aneurysms occur. In aortic dissection, a tear occurs in the wall of the aorta. This causes bleeding into and along the aortic wall and, in some cases, completely outside the aorta (rupture). Aortic dissection is a life-threatening emergency.
- Aneurysm. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/arm/arm_all.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Woo YJ, et al. Management and outcome of thoracic aortic aneurysm. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Woo YJ, et al. Clinical features and diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysm. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Marfan syndrome. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/mar/mar_all.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Hiratzka LF, et al. 2010 ACCF/AHA/AATS/ACR/ASA/SCA/SCAI/SIR/STS/SVM guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with thoracic aortic disease: Executive summary. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2010;55:27.
- Wang GJ, et al. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
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