The goal of aneurysm repair surgery is to prevent aortic rupture. If the size of the aneurysm is small, your doctor may ask you to come in for regular visits to monitor the aneurysm size for growth. If the aneurysm becomes fairly large, there are two treatment options to consider.
Open Surgical Repair
| In an open surgical repair, the procedure is performed under general anesthesia and can take 4-5 hours to complete. The doctor will make a cut in the abdomen or side of the patient and replace the diseased section of the aorta with a synthetic graft. Blood flow is stopped during the procedure. The graft is sewn into place with sutures and blood can then flow through the graft. Patients may stay in the hospital up to 7 days and recovery time often takes at least 3 months. While open surgical repair is a common procedure for AAA repair, it is a major surgery and may not be suitable for all patients. |
Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR)
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Endovascular repair is less invasive than open surgical repair since it does not require making a large cut in the abdomen. The procedure is done under local anesthesia and can take 1-3 hours to complete. The doctor will make a small cut in the groin of each leg to get to the femoral arteries. An endograft is inserted through the femoral artery and placed inside the aneurysm. The endograft is secured to the aorta with helical EndoAnchors™. Blood then flows through the graft, bypassing the weakened section of the aorta. Eventually the bulge should decrease in size. The Fortevo endograft remains in the aorta permanently. Patients usually stay in the hospital for 1-2 days and full recovery may take up to 6 weeks. Talk to your doctor regarding the risks associated with either procedure and which one may be most suitable for you. |