Aortic rupture

Aortic rupture
Aorta segments, with thoracic aorta in area marked in green.
Specialty	Vascular surgery, cardiology, emergency medicine
Symptoms	Abdominal pain, flank pain, or back pain
Complications	Shock, anemia
Usual onset	Acute
Causes	Ruptured aortic aneurysm, trauma
Treatment	Surgical repair
Prognosis	Poor
Deaths	Up to 90% of cases

Aortic rupture is the rupture or breakage of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Aortic rupture is a rare, extremely dangerous condition. The most common cause is an abdominal aortic aneurysm that has ruptured spontaneously. Aortic rupture is distinct from aortic dissection, which is a tear through the inner wall of the aorta that can block the flow of blood through the aorta to the heart or abdominal organs.

An aortic rupture can be classified according to its cause into one of the following main types:

• Traumatic aortic rupture
• Aortic rupture secondary to an aortic aneurysm^[1]