A member of the American Venous Forum, Hardeep Ahluwalia, MD, is the CEO and founder of California Vein & Vascular Centers. Dr. Hardeep Ahluwalia is experienced in vascular surgery and is a co-author of several medical papers, including “Use of TEVAR in the Treatment of a Penetrating Atherosclerotic Ulcer with Acute Aortic Rupture and Dissection: A Case Report and Review.”
A disease that affects the wall of the aorta, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer is characterized by tears which penetrate the wall of the aorta that may lead to dissection of the aorta and subsequent accumulation of blood surrounding the affected area. The aorta is a blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart's left ventricle to other parts of the body and is the largest artery in the body. Periphery atherosclerotic ulcer is common in older men with a history of smoking, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstruction of the arteries that carries blood to the lungs. Often, penetrating artery disease doesn't show symptoms, and diagnosis of the condition may be by chance.
The disease can be diagnosed using imaging technology such as computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasonography. Although not common, life-threatening complications may arise if a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer causes severe rupture of the aorta. Surgical treatment may be required if the patient experiences abrupt blood pressure changes, pain that doesn't respond to other treatments, or when the doctor sees signs of an impending rupture.
