Porcelain aorta

Porcelain aorta (PA) is a structural aortic wall disease characterized by extensive heavy calcification of the ascending thoracic aorta extending to the aortic arch and descending aorta. Porcelain aorta prevents safe aortic cross-clamping or cannulation during cardiac surgery. This activity reviews the identification, evaluation, and management of PA when cardiac surgery is planned and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in improving care for patients with this condition.

Objectives:

• Outline the definition of porcelain aorta.
• Review the clinical implication of porcelain aorta in medical practice.
• Describe the techniques to prevent surgical morbidity associated with porcelain aorta.
• Summarize the need for pre-operative evaluation to identify a porcelain aorta in individuals with risk factors or when identified as an incidental finding.