Coarctation of the Aorta

Treatment

Your Mayo Clinic doctor will work with other specialists to develop a treatment plan that includes the most appropriate care for you.

Monitoring

If you have no symptoms and your coarctation only mildly obstructs your blood flow, a cardiologist who specializes in congenital diseases may monitor your condition. In that case, your doctor will give you an appropriate physical examination at regular intervals. Your exam could include a chest X-ray, an echocardiogram and an exercise test. You will also need close follow-up of your blood pressure.

Medication

No medicine is available to reduce the obstruction in your aorta, but medicine that manages high blood pressure may be helpful, especially in adults.

Surgery

Mayo Clinic doctors usually treat coarctation of the aorta by removing the tissue that obstructs blood flow. Because high blood pressure often continues after surgery, you may need ongoing monitoring and treatment. A child who has a surgical repair may need surgery again as an adult.

The type of surgery your doctor performs to repair your aortic coarctation depends on the size, location and severity of the obstruction. Your medical team may recommend:

• Surgical repair. This is most commonly done through a left thoracotomy, in which your doctor makes an incision between the ribs on the left side of your chest to reach the coarctation and repair it. Sometimes a surgeon uses open-heart surgery to repair the area of coarctation, using a heart-lung bypass machine to oxygenate your blood and circulate it through your body during the procedure.
• Heart valve surgery. You may have a heart valve replaced or repaired at the time of the coarctation repair or later in life, depending on your overall evaluation.
• Balloon dilation and stent placement. Your doctor uses a balloon to widen the aorta. A stent is a small coil that helps keep the aorta open so blood can flow.

You and your doctor will discuss your treatment options and preferences.

Read more about chest X-ray, echocardiogram and Holter monitoring at MayoClinic.com.