Important Announcements

Nondiscrimination Statement Update

Boston Medical Center Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), religion, culture, physical or mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression. BMCHS provides free aids and services to people with disabilities and free language services to people whose primary language is not English.

To see our full nondiscrimination statement, click here.

Campus Construction Update

Starting September 14, we’re closing the Menino building lobby entrance. This, along with the ongoing Yawkey building entrance closure, will help us bring you an even better campus experience that matches the exceptional care you've come to expect. Please enter the Menino and Yawkey buildings through the Moakley building, and make sure to leave extra time to get to your appointment. Thank you for your patience. 

Click here to learn more about our campus redesign. 

A thoracic aortic aneurysm occurs when the aorta, the main artery that brings blood to the body, has an outpouching, or aneurysm, because the artery wall has become weakened. Left untreated, the aneurysm can tear or burst, causing death. Traditional surgery involves opening the chest, especially if the aneurysm is near the heart, has grown large, or is causing symptoms (although most patients will not have symptoms). The segment of enlarged artery is removed and replaced with a fabric tube. But a less invasive approach is also available depending on the location of the aneurysm. Boston Medical Center's cardiac and vascular surgeons specialize in the minimally invasive treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms.

To repair aneurysms farther away from the heart, an aortic endograft can often be used. A graft is inserted through a small incision in the groin area and fed up to the aneurysm location. It forms a tight seal with the healthy artery above and below the aneurysm. This restores normal blood flow through the artery and eventually the aneurysm shrinks.