Most aneurysms occur in the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body. The aorta goes through the chest and abdomen. An aneurysm that occurs in the chest portion of the aorta is called a thoracic (tho-RAS-ik) aortic aneurysm. An aneurysm that occurs in the abdominal portion of the aorta is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Aneurysms also can occur in other arteries, but these types of aneurysm are less common.
Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona shooting survivor â A framed photograph of Giffords stands at the center of a memorial during a candlelight vigil at the University Medical Center on January 8, 2011. The congresswoman was shot in the head during an event that day in front of a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Arizona.
Giffords was holding the meeting, called Congress on Your Corner in the parking lot of a Safeway store when Jared Lee Loughner drew a pistol and shot her in the head before proceeding to fire on other people. One additional person was injured in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. News reports identified the target of the attack as Giffords, a Democrat representing Arizona's 8th congressional district. She was shot through the head at point-blank range, and her medical condition was initially described as critical.