Life-Saving, Coordinated Care for the Body's Most Important Artery
The aorta is the body's largest and most vital artery, carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. When the aorta becomes enlarged, weakened, or torn, it can lead to serious conditions such as aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or traumatic aortic injury.
At UHealth – University of Miami Health System, the Comprehensive Aortic Center provides specialized care for patients with complex aortic disease through a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach. Our team includes experts in cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, cardiology, vascular medicine, cardiovascular imaging, genetics, and anesthesia working together to deliver personalized treatment plans using the latest medical and surgical evidence.
Whether your treatment requires minimally invasive endovascular repair, open surgery, or complex reconstructive procedures, UHealth specialists will guide you through every stage of care — from diagnosis through recovery and lifelong follow-up.
One Call Activates Our Aortic Team.
UHealth's Comprehensive Aortic Center is designed to provide efficient access to expert evaluation and advanced imaging. Whenever possible, we will coordinate your consultation and diagnostic testing on the same day to deliver a clear treatment plan without unnecessary delays.
You may enter the center through several pathways: referral from your physician, self-referral, or transfer from another hospital or emergency department. You do not need a confirmed diagnosis before being referred to our center.
Regardless of how your care begins, our 24-hour referral pathway ensures immediate coordination by our multidisciplinary aortic team. If you've been referred to our center, we will maintain open communication with your referring physician and provide updates regarding diagnostic findings, treatment recommendations, and your progress.
With a single call, our specialists can begin reviewing your case and arranging the appropriate level of care. Call (305) 4-AORTIC to schedule an appointment or speak with our aortic care team.
Meet Our Leaders in Aortic Disease and Aortic Surgery
UHealth’s Comprehensive Aortic Center is led by internationally trained surgeons specializing in diagnosing and treating complex aortic diseases. Together, they collaborate with specialists across UHealth’s departments of cardiology, imaging, and critical care to deliver coordinated and advanced surgical care.
Aortic Conditions We Treat
The UHealth Comprehensive Aortic Center evaluates and treats a wide range of conditions affecting the aorta and major arteries, including:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Aortic coarctation
- Aortic dissection
- Aortic genetic disorders
- Aortic transection
- Aortitis
- Arteriosclerosis/atherosclerosis
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Intramural hematoma of the aorta
- Marfan syndrome
- Penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers of the aorta
- Reoperative aortic heart surgery
- Thoracic aortic aneurysms
- Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm
- Valve-sparing aortic root surgery
Our specialists also evaluate patients who have been told their case is complex or high risk and may benefit from a second opinion.
Who Needs Aortic Surgery?
Not all aortic conditions require immediate surgery. In many cases, your UHealth provider may recommend careful monitoring with advanced imaging to track the size and progression of the disease. If your risk of complications increases over time, surgical treatment may become the safest option.
Aortic surgery is performed to repair or replace a weakened, enlarged, or torn (damaged) section of the aorta. Surgery is typically recommended for conditions such as aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or other structural abnormalities that affect blood flow.
UHealth's expert aortic surgeons make surgical recommendations based on several factors, including:
- The segment, size, and growth rate of the aneurysm
- The presence of symptoms or instability
- Genetic conditions that increase risk
- Whether the condition requires urgent or emergency treatment
Why Choose UHealth for Your Aortic Surgery?
Multidisciplinary, comprehensive care. Our aortic surgeons collaborate with UHealth’s specialists in cardiology, imaging, and critical care to deliver coordinated and advanced surgical care for aortic disease.
Rapid response with our 24-hour referral pathways. In many cases, a single call activates our aortic care team, allowing us to coordinate your evaluation and diagnostics quickly — often in one day.
Recognized and verified. Our Comprehensive Aortic Center was recognized as “high performing for aortic valve surgery” by US News & World Report (2025) and received the highest 3-Star Rating for aortic valve surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Schedule an Appointment
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or another aortic condition, our team is ready to help.