Ectasia

Ectasia is a medical term used to describe the dilation or distention of a hollow viscus, vessel, duct, or other tubular structure. Derived from the Greek ekstasis, meaning expansion, the word is a descriptive term rather than a disease name. It is often used when dilation is diffuse along a segment rather than occurring as a single localized bulge; in contrast, an aneurysm denotes a focal ballooning.

Common contexts include vascular ectasia, such as aortic ectasia, where a segment of the aorta is enlarged; cerebral arterial ectasia; corneal ectasia in ophthalmology, referring to thinning and outward bulging of the cornea after refractive surgery; biliary tract ectasia; uterine or endometrial ectasia.

Causes include congenital wall weakness, degenerative changes with age, chronic obstruction leading to upstream dilation, inflammatory processes, or long-standing increases in intraluminal pressure.

Diagnosis is usually by imaging or exam specific to the affected organ; detection may be incidental. Management depends on the location, size, rate of progression, and underlying cause, ranging from observation to medical therapy and, in some cases, surgical or endovascular intervention.

Prognosis is variable; some ectasias remain stable, others progress or cause obstruction or rupture risks that require treatment. Because ectasia is a descriptive term, ongoing monitoring and assessment of the underlying condition are important.