Hello, everyone! I hope you are all doing well. My name is Alvaro, and today our discussion focuses on acute Type B aortic dissection (TBAD), which occurs when a tear develops in the descending thoracic aorta, allowing blood to enter the aortic wall and create a false lumen. This false channel can compress the true lumen, reducing blood flow to critical branch vessels—and when organs lose perfusion, malperfusion syndrome develops. This is one of the most dangerous complications of aortic...

Hello, everyone! I hope you are all doing well. My name is Alvaro, and today our discussion focuses on thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). This condition occurs when a segment of the aorta within the chest becomes weakened and abnormally dilated. If left untreated, this area can continue to expand over time, potentially leading to a life-threatening rupture or dissection. What is a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm? A thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a condition in which a segment of the aorta in the...

What Is Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)? Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an advanced ultrasound technique used to obtain high-resolution images of the heart and thoracic aorta. Instead of placing the ultrasound probe on the chest, the probe is inserted into the esophagus, which lies directly behind the heart. Because the esophagus sits so close to the heart and the aorta, TEE provides clearer and more detailed images than standard echocardiography in many situations. Stanford...