| bifurcation of aorta | The division of the aorta into right and left common iliac arteries; it occurs at the level of the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebral body. Synonym: bifurcatio aortae. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| buckled aorta | Distortion, often with slight narrowing, of the aortic arch at the level of insertion of the ligamentum arteriosum. Synonym: buckled aorta, kinked aorta. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mediastinal branches of thoracic aorta | Numerous small arteries supplying the pleura and lymph nodes of the posterior mediastinum. Synonym: rami mediastinales aortae thoracicae, posterior mediastinal arteries. (05 Mar 2000) |
| medionecrosis of the aorta | Loss of elastic and muscle fibres in the aortic media, with accumulation of mucopolysaccharide, sometimes in cystlike spaces between the fibres; a disease of unknown cause, which may be inherited and which predisposes to dissecting aneurysms. Synonym: Erdheim disease, medionecrosis aortae idiopathica cystica, medionecrosis of the aorta, mucoid medial degeneration. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pericardial branch of thoracic aorta | Small branches of thoracic aorta distributed to the pericardium, in the region of the oblique pericardial sinus, and to posterior mediastinal lymph nodes. Synonym: rami pericardiaci aortae thoracicae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| coarctation of the aorta | <cardiology, embryology, paediatrics> A congenital heart defect that results in the narrowing of the lumen of the aorta. The narrowing occurs most often distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. Coarctation occurs in approximately 7% of patients with congenital heart disease and is twice as common in males. Surgical correction is most often required. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, fainting, nosebleeds, diminished pulses in lower extremities and muscle cramps in legs with activity. There may be no symptoms in some individuals. (27 Sep 1997) |
| primitive aorta | The paired aortic primordia in young embryos. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pseudocoarctation of the aorta | A rare abnormality of the arch of the aorta that constricts that vessel but is not a true coarctation in that there is no significant encroachment on the lumen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shaggy aorta | A colloquial but fitting description for severe arterial degeneration of the aorta, the surface of which is extremely friable and likely to cause atheroembolism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| descending aorta | A part of the aorta, further divided into the thoracic aorta and the abdominal aorta. Synonym: pars descendens aortae, aorta descendens, descending part of aorta. (05 Mar 2000) |
| descending part of aorta | A part of the aorta, further divided into the thoracic aorta and the abdominal aorta. Synonym: pars descendens aortae, aorta descendens, descending part of aorta. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dissecting thoracic aorta | <surgery> A condition in which a weakened portion of the thoracic aorta begins to tear along the longitudinal axis of the vessel. Symptoms include sudden, severe chest pain that may radiate to the back accompanied by nausea, sweating and difficulty breathing. A common risk factor for this event is atherosclerotic vascular disease and-or hypertension. Advanced cases of syphilis (syphilitic aortitis) can also result in acute thoracic dissection as a complication of infection with Treponema pallidum. (11 Jan 1998) |
| dynamic aorta | Abnormally marked pulsations of aorta. (05 Mar 2000) |
| isthmus of aorta | A slight constriction of the aorta immediately distal to the left subclavian artery at the point of attachment of the ductus arteriosus. Synonym: isthmus aortae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oesophageal branches of the thoracic aorta | Branches arising directly from the anterior aspect of the portion of the thoracic aorta adjacent to the oesophagus, by which most of the oesophagus is supplied. Synonym: rami oesophageales aortae thoracicae. (05 Mar 2000) |