Think Aorta

07/05/2026

Postoperative Care and Management�

We know from multiple posts and comments on several of our Facebook groups that postoperative care is a common concern amongst us all, and we have been working with researchers at the University of Leicester to explore this topic in more detail.�

They are looking for individuals who have suffered with an Aortic Dissection to complete a survey about your postoperative care and management. The study is examining the variations of care across the UK and Ireland with respect to the levels of support and management offered. �

The aim of the study is to determine whether the postoperative management of Aortic Dissection is standardised across regions. This study is being carried out by staff from the University of Leicester including Mr Harjeet Rayt, Professor Rob Sayers and Mrs Tanya Payne.�
They would like to know your views about the postoperative care that you have received when judged against the current ‘gold standard’.

The survey is anonymous, you will not be asked for your name or any contact details. They will however need to know some personal information such as your age and s*x, where you live and where you were treated and some baseline health parameters such as your blood pressure.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Thank you for considering taking part in this survey.

01/05/2026

This week the Royal College of Emergency held its first flagship conference over 3 days in Birmingham. The patient charity Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland had a booth to promote its work with very special emphasis on its THINK AORTA campaign which works to reduce the time and increase the numbers of aortic dissections diagnosed, helping to save more lives.

We had many conversations about the difficulties and challenges of making the diagnosis of this time critical emergency. However it was really heartening to hear some great success stories from doctors working in emergency medicine about cases they had diagnosed which went on to be treated successfully.

For more details, visit the ADA UK&I website at https://aorticdissectionawareness.org/news/aortic-dissection-awareness-at-rcem-annual-conference-april-2026

05/04/2026

THINK AORTA Interview on CTSNet - dissection survivor Gareth Owens and aortic surgeon Ben Youdelman are interviewed about the history and development of the life saving campaign

In this inspiring interview, Cristina Ruiz Segria, CTSNet Senior Editor—Clinical Care Providers and nurse practitioner at James Cook University Hospital, UK, speaks with Dr. Ben Youdelman, Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery and Co-Director of the Maimonides Aortic Center in Brooklynn, NY, USA, an...

01/04/2026

This week saw the launch of the THINK AORTA campaign in France, championed by by Prof Laurent Chiche (Head of Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Tertiary Aortic Centre, Pitie-Salpetriere University Hospital, Paris) seen here with Rob Glass (THINK AORTA International Country Campaign Lead). France is now the 14th country to have established a THINK AORTA campaign and we wish them well in their efforts to improve the diagnosis of this life threatening condition.

24/03/2026

Our team were proud to represent Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland at the SCTS Annual Meeting in Belfast last week 💙

Alongside leading clinicians and surgeons, we brought something just as important— our patient voice.

Joined by members of our community, including a B-type survivor and the wife of an AAA survivor, we shared real experiences that help shape better care and save lives.

Our THINK AORTA® campaign continues to grow globally, raising awareness of the urgent need for correct diagnosis when patients present with severe chest or abdominal pain.

Check out our film here:

In March 2026, The Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery invited Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland and the THINK AORTA campaign to their annual meeting in...

24/03/2026

Our team were proud to represent Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland at the SCTS Annual Meeting in Belfast last week 💙

Alongside leading clinicians and surgeons, we brought something just as important— our patient voice.

Joined by members of our community, including a B-type survivor and the wife of an AAA survivor, we shared real experiences that help shape better care and save lives.

Our THINK AORTA® campaign continues to grow globally, raising awareness of the urgent need for correct diagnosis when patients present with severe chest or abdominal pain.

Check out our film here:

In March 2026, The Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery invited Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland and the THINK AORTA campaign to their annual meeting in...

17/03/2026

Our wonderful team bringing the THINK AORTA and Aortic Dissection Awareness message to clinicians and other medical professionals at SCTS 2026 Belfast.

We were delighted to be joined by Bill Scott and Maxine Mauger, from our local patient and family group. Both spent time talking their experiences to the conference delegates.

Check out our new Gaelic/English THINK AORTA poster.

02/02/2026

https://aorticdissectionawareness.org/news/kari-robert-appointed-think-aorta-deputy-lead

02/01/2026

Perhaps the greatest challenge to diagnosing an aortic dissection is the variability in symptoms and clinical signs between patients. Pain isn't always in the chest and some dissections are associated with little pain. Here is a highly relevant case report in which pain was confined to the patient's neck - in their discussion, the authors draw attention to the value of the THINK AORTA campaign along with other guidelines in helping clinicians make the correct diagnosis in a time critical situation.

Dear Colleagues, The American Journal of Case Reports recently published a noteworthy case highlighting the importance of recognizing atypical present...

30/12/2025

Patient safety through patient's eyes

In the latest edition of Surgeons' News published by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, ADA UK&I members Lisa Skinner and Gareth Owens provide the patient's perspective on Aortic Dissection in the regular feature covering patient safety. Very importantly they remind surgeons that where aortic dissection is concerned, safety extends far beyond the operating theatre into families. Their article can be read online at