Aortic Center Overview

Vitally Important

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body, delivering oxygen-rich blood to our entire body. Its size is matched by its importance. So, when the aorta fails, the results can be catastrophic. In fact, patients with aortic rupture or dissection require emergent care; those with diagnosed aortic aneurysmal disease require expert disease management and surveillance, and often require surgical interventions to avoid a health crisis of enormous magnitude.

Fortunately, residents of our region have access to the only Aortic Center in South Florida, home to a uniquely skilled team of expert cardiac and vascular surgeons: the “best of the best.”

Treating highly complex aortic conditions (such as aortic aneurysms, penetrating aortic ulcers, aortic occlusive disease, and congenital aortic problems such as a bicuspid aortopathy, Marfan syndrome or other connective tissue disorder) requires surgeons with advanced training and far-reaching experience. At the Aortic Center at Mount Sinai, these physicians come together to practice in partnership with each other — a true collaboration between cardiac and vascular surgeons, working in harmony with expert skill to produce the best outcomes for patients facing dangerous aortic disease.

A History of Excellence in Cardiovascular Surgery

For decades, Mount Sinai Medical Center has been the leader in cardiovascular care in South Florida, particularly for complex cases, such as those that affect the aorta. In fact, for the past two decades, physicians in our community and throughout the region have referred their patients to Mount Sinai — as the hospital of choice — for aortic aneurysm repair. That’s because our multidisciplinary team of heart and vascular surgeons offers patients the best cardiac surgery survival rates and has the most experience handling complex aortic disease. It’s why the Aortic Center at Mount Sinai is recognized by the Marfan Foundation as a center of excellence in the treatment of Marfan syndrome and other congenital connective tissue disorders that contribute to aortic disease.

We are committed to providing each patient with expertise, compassion, and the best possible results.

From Diagnostics To Treatment

With the proliferation of imaging for a variety of health issues, patients often discover they have an enlarged aorta or an aortic aneurysm by coincidence. The good news is that when aortic disease is detected early — before a catastrophic failure, such as a rupture or dissection — we can sometimes manage patients’ disease without surgery. And for patients who require surgery to repair their diseased aorta, we produce far better outcomes than in a case of emergency.

The Aortic Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center utilizes advanced imaging technology to see — with remarkable detail — any defect, any hints of early disease, as well as the progression of diseases that affect the aorta. Using this information, combined with a patient’s personal medical history, overall risk factors, and genetics, our Aortic Center team develops personalized treatment plans for each and every patient.

As a patient’s care plan progresses, all members of the patient’s care team stay in contact through a seamless communication process that’s paired with regular multidisciplinary meetings to discuss specific patients’ cases. This intensive, coordinated care approach is what attracts patients and their referring physicians for aortic care at Mount Sinai. It’s also part of the reason so many grateful patients are living full lives in spite of aortic disease.