Aortic Disease

Aortic Surgery

The Aorta Umbrella of Excellence in Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute is organized into sub-centers to optimize the care of patients and to facilitate collaboration across disciplines with a focus on conditions that affect all segments of the aorta. This multidisciplinary effort has resulted in the busiest aorta center in the US, leading the way in quality, innovation, and research.

Aortic Surgery: Volume and Type

2016 – 2021

Cleveland Clinic's Aorta Umbrella of Excellence uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes cardiology and vascular doctors and surgeons. This collaboration offers patients with all forms of aortic disease comprehensive treatment for even the most complex conditions.

Surgeons performed 1441 procedures in 2021. The most frequently performed procedure at Cleveland Clinic in 2021 was open surgery to repair the ascending aorta/aortic arch.

Elective Ascending Aorta and Aortic Arch Open Surgery: Volume and In-Hospital Mortality

2016 – 2021

In 2021, Cleveland Clinic surgeons performed 670 elective open procedures to repair the ascending aorta and aortic arch. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.6%.

YearVolumeMortality Percent
20165260.3
20175591.1
20185761.4
20197230.9
20205611.1
20216700.6

Source: Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database

Emergency Ascending Aorta and Aortic Arch Open Surgery: Volume and In-Hospital Mortality

2016 – 2021

Emergency open repairs of the ascending aorta and aortic arch, including dissections and ruptures, are particularly challenging. Despite this level of difficulty, in-hospital mortality rates at Cleveland Clinic are low. In 2021, Cleveland Clinic performed 148 of these procedures, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 6.1%.

YearVolumeMortality Percent
20161836.5%
20171783.9%
20181833.3%
20191565.8%
20202111.4%
20211486.1%

Source: Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database