Procedures & Innovations
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Open Surgery
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Open surgery for aortic aneurysm repair is a very well investigated procedure that is considered to carry a low risk of complications and to have a very good success rate. Its aim is to replace or fortify the damaged portion of the vessel (aorta).
General anesthesia is required for the procedure. An incision is made in the abdomen, and blood flow to the aortic artery is reduced (often by clamping the aorta) in order to facilitate the surgical procedure. The aneurysm is removed, and the affected vessel walls are reinforced with a woven graft (tube) made of synthetic (man made) material, such as Dacron. This graft will bypass the weakened walls of an aneurysm, allowing normal bloodflow to the legs and other organs. Once the graft is in place, blood flow is allowed to resume through the artificial or reinforced artery, and the incision on the abdomen is closed with sutures or surgical staples. The procedure takes approximately 4 hours. In-hospital recovery from the surgery takes approximately seven days.
In many cases, endovascular stent graft aortic aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive procedure, is possible as an alternative to open surgery.
