Feel Assured With Lifesaving Heart Care
Your heart matters, and we understand the complex care you need to get well. The Aortic Center within the AdventHealth Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute provides collaborative, multidisciplinary care for patients with complex aortic diseases.
Services Our Aortic Surgery Program Offers
We understand our patients' unique and complex needs. We offer individualized treatment plans customized to each patient's anatomy and underlying disease, allowing for excellent outcomes.
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Multidisciplinary Team
Our collaborative team approach includes vascular surgeons, cardiologists and medical imaging specialists with specialized training on aortic disease.
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Immediate Availability
We offer immediate availability for new consultations as well as second opinions. You have 24/7 access and availability in case of emergency.
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Follow-Up Appointments
Patients and their families have follow-up appointments based on patient risk and research guidelines to discuss each patient's aortic disease.
Aortic Conditions We Treat
- Abdominal aortic aneurysms
- Aneurysms of the ascending aortic arch and the descending thoracic aorta
- Aortic dissection
- Aortic root aneurysms
- Aortic valve disorders, including bicuspid aortic valve
- Marfan syndrome, or other connective tissue diseases
- Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms
Understanding Aortic Treatments
- Aortic Root Replacement
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An aortic root replacement is done to remove an aneurysm within your aorta, specifically the valve connecting the aorta to your heart. Your surgeon will remove the part of the aorta containing the aneurysm and replace it with a mechanical or bioprosthetic conduit.
- Mechanical Conduit: Features a synthetic tube attached to a synthetic valve, often constructed from carbon and titanium
- Bioprosthetic Conduit: Made using treated animal tissue, often pig or cow, and is mounted on a synthetic or biological root
- Complex Aortic Valve Repair
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A complex aortic valve repair procedure is done to fix a severely damaged or leaking aortic valve. This valve is responsible for proper blood flow throughout the body. When it becomes damaged, blood may flow back into the heart, causing it to work harder to disperse blood to the rest of the body. A complex aortic valve repair procedure avoids the need for artificial valves by preserving and reshaping the patient’s native valve tissue.
A bicuspid aortic valve occurs when two leaflets fuse, causing the valve to malfunction or leak. A complex aortic valve repair procedure is an effective option for this type of valve, as it focuses on reshaping your native valve.
- Minimally Invasive Aortic Surgery
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Minimally invasive aortic surgery gives your surgeon access to your heart through small incisions without needing to split the breastbone. In contrast, traditional aortic valve replacement surgery requires your surgeon to make an incision down the middle of the breastbone to access the heart. The minimally invasive approach offers many benefits, including less pain and scarring, a quicker recovery time and fewer nights in the hospital.
- Ross Procedure
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The Ross procedure is performed to repair a damaged aortic valve. During this procedure, your surgeon will remove the damaged or nonfunctioning aortic valve and replace it with your existing pulmonary valve. The pulmonary valve is almost identical to the aortic valve and is less stressed, since it doesn’t require as much force to push blood into the lungs. Then, your surgeon will place a healthy donor valve to replace the original pulmonary valve.
- Thoracic-Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery
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Thoracic-abdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair surgery is performed to fix a bulge or ballooning in the aorta that spans the chest and abdomen. There are two main treatment options, including open surgical repair and a minimally invasive endovascular technique. The decision on which procedure is right for you largely depends on your anatomy, age and overall health risks.
Open Surgical Repair
Open surgical repair remains the gold standard approach for a TAAA surgery. Your surgeon will make a large incision across your ribcage to access the affected areas. Once your aorta is clamped, your surgeon will replace it with a synthetic graft.
Good candidates for open surgical repair include younger, fit patients and those with connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome. This approach requires a longer hospital stay, which may include more time in the intensive care unit (ICU). A full recovery can be expected after two to three months.
Minimally Invasive Endovascular Technique
The endovascular technique is a minimally invasive approach that uses catheters inserted through the groin to insert reinforced metal stent grafts inside the aorta to preserve blood flow to vital organs.
Good candidates for this technique include frail or older patients and those with other significant conditions, like heart or lung disease. This approach causes less damage to the body, allowing patients to be up and moving within one to two weeks post-surgery. They also experience a shorter recovery time, typically four to six weeks.
- Total Aortic Arch Replacement or Hemiarch Replacement
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Total aortic arch replacement and hemiarch replacement procedures are performed to repair structural problems within the aorta, primarily aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms. Your aorta has three main parts: the ascending aorta, the aortic arch and the descending aorta. Both approaches aim to fix damage to the middle part of the aorta, the aortic arch.
- Total Aortic Arch Replacement: This procedure involves removing the entire curved section of the aorta and requires your surgeon to reimplant the critical head and arm arteries into a synthetic graft.
- Hemiarch Replacement: This approach involves replacing only the ascending aorta and only the underside of the aortic arch, without detaching the major arteries that branch to the brain and arms.
- Valve Replacement
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Heart valve replacement surgery is performed to remove a damaged heart valve and replace it with a mechanical or biological tissue valve. This procedure restores normal blood flow and alleviates chest pain, fainting, shortness of breath and other symptoms.
- Valve-Sparring Aortic Root Replacement
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Valve-sparing aortic root replacement is a leading-edge procedure that replaces a damaged aortic root while allowing you to keep your natural heart valves. Keeping these valves reduces your risk of developing further complications after surgery.
Meet Your Aortic Surgery Specialist
Ioannis Loumiotis, MD, is a fellowship-trained cardiovascular surgeon who has a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosing and treating patients with varying cardiovascular conditions, including conditions affecting the aorta. Specifically, Dr. Loumiotis has vast experience and expertise in treating complex aortic pathologies involving every part of the aorta, extending from the aortic root to the aortic bifurcation.
Your Heart Is in the Right Place With Award-Winning Care
We're humbled that AdventHealth Orlando is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as national leaders in the following:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
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National Leader in Aortic Valve Surgery
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Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
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Aortic Aneurysm Frequently Asked Questions
Let us help put your mind at ease by answering some of our patients’ most frequently asked questions.
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Q:Question: Can my aneurysm be genetic or family-related?
A:Answer:There are many genes associated with aortic aneurysms. At our Aortic Center we offer access to genetic testing and counseling. Results will be shared with your referring physician.
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Q:Question: How often should I have my aorta imaged?
A:Answer:At our Aortic Center, we have specific image protocols individualized for each patient’s diagnosis, which we share with your referring physician. We also use different imaging modalities (CTA vs. MRA) based on your age, aortic anatomy and pathology. Our team of experts will keep the referring physician involved in your care and most importantly will be responsible for arranging your surveillance follow-up imaging.
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Q:Question: Should I wait until I have symptoms to make an appointment at the Aortic Center?
A:Answer:Most patients are usually without symptoms. You should not wait until you have symptoms or the aorta reaches size thresholds before becoming a patient of our Aortic Center. It is very helpful for the you and your family to have a consultation regarding potential surgical options, risks and benefits of watchful waiting vs. intervention.
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Q:Question: When and why should I reach out to the AdventHealth Aortic Center?
A:Answer:Generally speaking, reach out to us for an appointment if you have:
- Been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm size greater than 4.0cm
- History of bicuspid aortic valve or a history of aortic coarctation surgery
- Personal history of aortic aneurysm
- Previous history of aortic dissection repair
- Severe aortic insufficiency on the echocardiogram
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Q:Question: What is an aortic aneurysm?
A:Answer:An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge that occurs in the wall of the aorta, the major blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to your body. They can occur anywhere in your aorta and may be either tube-shaped or round.
An aneurysm is a progressive disease that needs monitoring with regular checkups. In 20% of thoracic aortic aneurysm cases, there may be a familial component. If a first-degree relative had an aneurysm, it’s recommended that family members be screened.
About 95% of aortic aneurysms come without a warning, meaning most patients experience no symptoms until a catastrophic event occurs. Timely intervention is needed because once an aortic complication occurs (dissection or rupture), short- and long-term patient results can diminish quickly.
Find Surgical Heart Care Near You
If heart surgery is the next step in your care plan, rest assured that you’ll find leading-edge options and uncommon compassion from our surgeons within our AdventHealth Cardiovascular Institute network. Our experienced teams excel in open-heart surgery, off-pump surgery and the latest minimally invasive procedures for faster healing — all coordinated through a trusted national network. Explore our locations or let our team guide you to the one that’s right for you.