People with aortic aneurysms – thoracic or abdominal – may need to be operated on an urgent basis.

It is for this reason that abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysm surgery abroad in countries with no wait times like Iran is sometimes preferred.

In many cases, it is the high cost that leads people to go abroad for this procedure.

An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the aorta wall.

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body: it carries oxygenated blood from the heart down through the chest and abdomen, where it divides into a blood vessel that supplies each leg.

An aortic aneurysm can result in a life-threatening situation because it may rupture and cause internal bleeding.

The risk of an aneurysm rupturing increases with its size and location.

An aneurysm can form anywhere along the aorta but is most often formed in the abdominal and the thoracic regions.

The location of the aneurysm determines the treatment method to be employed.