Health Resource Center
Aortic Aneurysm & Dissection
Aug 20th 2008
The aorta is the large blood vessel that carries blood
away from the heart, down through the chest and abdomen where it ends before
dividing into two large branches which continue into the legs. Throughout
its course the aorta has branches that supply blood to various body parts and
organs. The normal diameter of the aorta is approximately one inch.
An aneurysm is an enlargement of the aorta, usually confined to a particular
section. A dissection is a tear in the wall of the aorta, usually along a
portion of the aorta’s length. Dissections of the aorta do not always
occur in sections affected by aneurysms.