How is an abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired?
There are several ways to repair a large AAA. Traditional surgery – a major operation – requires you to be put under major anesthesia. A large cut is made and a fabric tube called a graft is sewn to replace the ballooning vessel. This method has been used for over 50 years and has been very reliable. Another method, which is less invasive, is to use an endovascular graft. After numbing the groin, a needle is placed into a large blood vessel. A flexible tube called a catheter is inserted. The endovascular graft is put into the catheter and carefully positioned. The graft is expanded and stays in place, fixing the problem. However, not all aneurysms can be repaired with surgery. How long does the procedure take? Traditional surgery is very long and takes several hours. The recovery takes weeks. You’ll spend many days in the hospital. With an endovascular graft, recovery is usually much faster. Many patients go home after a few days in the hospital. What are the risks? Traditional surgery
