The aorta  is the largest artery in the human body and the main vessel responsible for delivering oxygen-rich blood from the heart to every organ . Every heartbeat pushes blood into the aorta under high pressure, making its structure and health absolutely critical for survival. Because it handles such force, the aorta is built with thick, elastic walls  that allow it to stretch with each heartbeat and recoil to keep blood moving forward smoothly. Authors/Task Force Members, C