This book follows the concept of perceiving the entire aorta as one functional organ assuming that all individual pathologies and local interventional procedures affect the up- and downstream segments with consequences for complications and disease progression. Thus any preventive or surgical strategy must recognize the aortic disease in its entirety. The book intends to cover the full spectrum of aortic pathologies, mechanisms and functional interplay. The latest available diagnostic tools and options for surgical treatment are presented by the foremost experts in their field in state-of-the-art reviews. The reader is provided with the most current and comprehensive insight into all fundamental and clinical aspects of aortic disease. All chapters are carefully complemented with figures and illustrations.