When a weak area of the thoracic aorta expands or bulges, it is called a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA).

25 percent of aortic aneurysms occur in the chest, and the rest involve the abdominal aorta.

Thoracic aneurysms affect approximately thousands of people in Australia each year. Some patients may have more than one TAA or may also have an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta (AAA).

Large aneurysms close to the heart can affect the heart’s valves.