aorta (ay-OR-tah): The aorta is the major blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. Back to Articles Related Articles Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Surgery: The Fontan Procedure The Fontan procedure is open-heart surgery done as the third of three surgeries to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Read More Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Surgery: The Glenn Procedure The Glenn procedure is open-heart surgery done as the second of three surgeries to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Read More Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Surgery: The Norwood Procedure The Norwood procedure is open-heart surgery done as the first of three surgeries to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Read More Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a birth defect of a baby’s heart. The left side of the heart doesn’t grow as it should, making it smaller and weaker than normal. Read More Coarctation of the Aorta Coarctation of the aorta (COA) is a narrowing of the aorta, the major blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the body. Read More Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA) An interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare heart condition in which the aorta doesn’t form completely. Surgery must be done within the first few days of a baby’s life to close the gap in the aorta. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.