5. Coarctation of aorta

Question 1

Coarctation of aorta presents?

Answer 1

Presents a narrowing or asphyxiation of the aortic lumen.

Question 2

Where does it occur?

Answer 2

That might occur
anywhere along the aorta. The narrowing is usually distal to the branching of the left subclavian
artery near the insertion of ligamentum arteriosus.

Question 3

Occurs in patients?

Answer 3

Aortic
coarctation often occurs in patients with Turner syndrome.
It is more common in boys, in
whom we quite often find gonadal dysgenesis.

Question 4

Defects?

Answer 4

In small coarctation the defect might be
symptomless. More prominent coarctation can result in frequent headaches, epistaxis, cold
extremities, and claudication on exertion, hypertension in the upper limbs, and a weak pulsation of
the femoral artery. Upper limbs and chest is more developed in comparison with the lower limbs. It is
the result of the hemodynamic state. There are many collaterals which are compensatory dilated.
The left ventricle hypertrophies. Aorta dilated above and below the site of coarctation.

Question 5

if its not corrected?

Answer 5

(1) development of left ventricular
hypertrophy and
(2) dilatation of collateral blood vessels from the intercostal arteries that bypass the
coarctation and provide blood to the more distal descending aorta. Eventually, these collateral
vessels enlarge and can erode the undersurface of the ribs.

Question 6

Not corrected is cause of ?

Answer 6

Hypertension, which might lead to
cerebral aneurysms, hemorrhages, aortic ruptures, left ventricular failure and infectious endocarditis.