Vascular pathology - Fung Flashcards
Describe developmental or Berry aneurysms.
- Occur in cerebral vessels - ie. Circle of Willis
- Majority occur sporadically
- Some are genetic and are associated with:
AD polycystic kidney disease, Ehler-Danlos syndrome, NF1, Marfan syndrome - Referred as congenital but not present at birth; develop over time
What are some risk factors associated with Berry aneurysms?
- smoking
2. hypertension
What are atriovenous fistulas?
Small, direct connections between arteries and veins that bypasses capillaries.
Atriovenous fistulas occur due to…?
Developmental defects
Rupture of arterial aneurysm into an adjacent vein
Penetrating injuries that pierce arteries and veins
Inflammatory necrosis of adjacent vessels
Iatrogenic
Describe fibromuscular dysplasia.
- Focal irregular thickening of the walls of medium and large muscular arteries
- Results in luminal stenosis
- Can occur at any age but is most frequent in young women
What are aneurysms?
Localized, abnormal dilation of blood vessels or the heart.They can be congenital or acquires and may be saccular or fusiform in shape.
How are true aneurysms different from false?
- Involves an intact attenuated arterial wall or thinned ventricular wall
- Examples:
Atherosclerotic
Syphilitic
Congenital
Ventricular following transmural infarction
Describe false aneurysms.
- Also called pseudo-aneurysm
- Defect in the vascular wall leading to an extravascular hematoma that freely communicates with the intravascular space
- Example:
Ventricular rupture with pericardial adhesion
Describe Saccular true aneurysms.
- Spherical outpouchings involving only a portion of the vessel
- 5-20 cm in diameter
Describe Fusiform true aneurysms.
- Diffuse, circumferential dilation of a long vascular segment
- Up to 20 cm in diameter
- Involve extensive portions of the aortic arch, abdominal aorta, iliac arteries
What causes aneurysms?
Any process that causes weakening of the vessel wall. Examples are:
1. Sporadic
2. Connective tissue diseases such as:
Marfan syndrome: defect of fibrillin
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: defect in the synthesis or structure of fibrillar collagen
Vitamin C deficiency: altered collagen cross-linking
Loeys-Dietz syndrome: defect in elastin, collagen I and III
3. congenital defects
4. infections due embolization, direct extension or circulation of organisms
What are some processes that can weaken a vessel wall and lead to aneurysm formation?
- Inflammation that alters the balance of synthesis and destruction of collagen such as
Increased matrix metalloproteases (MMP) that degrade the extracellular matrix (released by macrophages) - Loss of smooth muscle cells or proliferation of non- collagenous/non-elastic extracellular matrix
- Thickening of the intima decreases diffusion of oxygen and nutrients to the medial causing cystic medial degeneration
What are the most important predisposing factors for aneurysm formation?
- Atherosclerosis - aneurysms often form in the abdominal aorta
- hypertension - aneurysms often form in the ascending aorta
What are the clinical consequences of an AAA?
- Rupture with potential fatal hemorrhage
- Obstruction of branch vessel
- Embolism from atheroma or mural thrombus
- Impingement on adjacent structures
Describe thoracic aortic aneurysms.
- Most commonly associated with hypertension
- Signs and symptoms include
encroachment on:
Mediastinal structures
Lungs and airways
Esophagus - Cough due to pressure on recurrent laryngeal nerve
- Bone pain
- TAA leads to aortic valve dilation with insufficiency
What is the most common area for an aneurysm in older men?
Abdominal aorta.
What is dissection?
- After an intimal tear blood splays apart the laminar planes of the media to form a blood filled channel within the vessel wall
- May or may not be associated with vessel dilation
- Not usually seen with atherosclerosis because of medial fibrosis
Dissection occurs in….?
- Men 40-60 years with hypertension
- Younger patients with systemic and localized abnormalities of the aorta
- May be Iatrogenic
Describe the pathogenesis of dissection.
- Hypertension is the major risk factor causing:
Medial hypertrophy of the vasa vasorum with degenerative changes of the media suggest injury due to diminished flow - this is also called cystic medial degeneration. - Inherited or acquired tissue disorders can also lead to dissection due to abnormal vessel wall. Examples are Marfans, vitamin C deficiency and Ehler-danlos syndrome.
What is the most frequent histologically detectable lesion in cases of dissection?
Cystic medial degeneration.
What are two types of dissections?
- Type A
2. Type B
Describe Type A dissections.
- These are proximal lesions
- Called DeBakey type I and II
- Involving the ascending aorta and descending aorta - Debakey Type I
- Involving just the ascending aorta - Debakey type II
Describe Type B dissections.
- These are distal lesions
- Called DeBakey type III
- Beginning distal to the subclavian artery and NOT involving the ascending aorta
Which type of dissection only involves the descending aorta?
Type B or DeBakey type III dissections.
What is a common clinical presentation of dissection>
A patient comes in with chest pain that radiates to the back. Can look like a heart attack.