DEFINITION Aortic arch conditions result in inflammation and eventual blockage of the vessels that branch off the aorta, leading to decreased blood flow to areas of the body.

The name "aortic arch syndrome" often refers to Takayasu's arteritis, a rare autoimmune disorder that mainly affects Asian women. Inflammation of the aortic arch brought on by Takayasu's arteritis or even atherosclerosis eventually occludes arteries and can cause organ damage and symptoms of heart attack and stroke.

Aortic arch conditions are abnormalities in the structure of the arteries that branch off the top of the aorta. These abnormalities can reduce blood flow to vital organs. Though forms of aortic arch conditions can result from blood pressure changes, clots, trauma, or a congenital disorder, the name "aortic arch syndrome" has become synonymous with Takayasu's arteritis, an autoimmune response that inflames the aortic artery (the main artery of the heart) and the pulmonary artery (the main artery of the lung). Takayasu's mostly affects Asian females between the ages of 10 and 30.

TREATMENT Angioplasty is a procedure during which doctors inflate a small balloon inside a blood vessel to eliminate or reduce areas of narrowing inside the blood vessel. The goal of angioplasty is revascularization, or the restoration of an adequate flow of blood in a part of the body. Angioplasty accomplishes this restoration of blood flow by actually enlarging from within a blood vessel the area through which blood may flow.

Arteries have three layers: a thin, smooth inner layer, a muscular, elastic middle layer and an external layer of connective tissue. Inflating an angioplasty balloon inside an artery affected by atherosclerotic buildup causes a kind of controlled, helpful injury to the artery. As doctors inflate the balloon, the smooth inner layer, which typically covers any plaque buildup inside the artery, stretches and tears as the balloon inflates. When the balloon continues to inflate, plaque deposits are compressed, and any fluid in the plaque deposit is squeezed out. The plaque may break, or fracture, and the muscular middle layer of the artery begins to stretch. Usually, the external layer of an artery is not stretched during angioplasty.

The compression and break-up of plaque deposits enlarges the area inside an artery through which blood may flow. Also, when the inner layer of an artery is stretched and torn, the body's natural healing process is triggered, which also helps the process of breaking down and reducing the size of the plaque and smoothing the internal surface of the vessel.

During angioplasty, doctors inflate a tiny balloon inside an artery to reduce the size of plaque buildup, expanding the diameter inside of the blood vessel and improving blood flow.

Stents are slender metal-mesh tubes placed inside a blood vessel to act as scaffolding that helps keep blood vessels wide open.

BENEFITS There are dramatic benefits to Minimally Invasive Vascular Surgery. Surgery without major incision minimizes tissue damage allowing for a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery time. Patients also enjoy reduced post-operative pain and less scarring than open surgery.

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