Aortic ulceration, illustration. Acute ulcerative endoaortitis of the ascending aorta and aortic arch, showing multiple loss of vessel endothelium covered with masses of ulcerating defects representing decayed tissues and plaque from atherosclerosis. These contain fatty cells and cholesterol deposits between which the aortic intima has fatty degeneration. With a risk of forming an aneurysm or aortic dissection, surgery may correct the condition with a graft to replace the affected segment. From Bollinger, O. 1901 Atlas und Gundriss der Pathologischen Anatomie, vol 1. Lehmann, Munich.