Aortitis
Encyclopedia
Causes
This inflammationInflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
has a number of possible causes, to include: trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
, viral
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
infection, certain immune disorder
Immune disorder
An immune disorder is a dysfunction of the immune system. These disorders can be characterized in several different ways:* By the component of the immune system affected* By whether the immune system is overactive or underactive...
s, and bacterial infection (notably, syphilis
Syphilitic aortitis
Syphilitic aortitis is a disease of the aorta associated with the tertiary stage of syphilis infection. SA begins as inflammation of the adventia, including the vessels that supply the aorta itself with blood, the vasa vasorum...
).
Treatment
Management appears to include the following treatment priorities; stop the inflammationInflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
, treat complications, prevent and monitor for re-occurrence.
Prognosis
If untreated, has three distinct phases. A prepulseless inflammatory stat. Phase two includes vascular inflammation with pain secondary to the condition, along with tenderness to palpation over the site. Last phase includes symptoms of ischemiaIschemia
In medicine, ischemia is a restriction in blood supply, generally due to factors in the blood vessels, with resultant damage or dysfunction of tissue. It may also be spelled ischaemia or ischæmia...
and pain associated with the use of limbs. Limbs are also cool and clammy in this stage.