Aortic Aneurysms
What is a aortic aneurysm?
The aorta is the largest artery in your body. It starts at your heart and runs through your chest and abdomen. The abdominal area of the aorta is responsible for delivering blood to your legs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) happens when the wall of the aorta weakens over time and begins to bulge like a balloon. If left untreated, an AAA may get bigger and eventually rupture, causing severe internal bleeding and possibly death.
In addition to the risk of rupturing, clots or debris can form within an AAA. These pieces can be carried to other areas in the body and block circulation, which can cause severe pain or even limb loss if blood flow is cut off for too long.
Every year, 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). A ruptured AAA is the 15th leading cause of death in the country, and the 10th leading cause of death in men older than 55.
Aneurysms often run in families. If a first-degree relative, like a parent or sibling, has had an AAA, you are 12 times more likely to develop an AAA. About 15-25% of people who need treatment to repair an AAA have an immediate family member with the same type of aneurysm.
Diagnosis and screening
Most aortic aneurysms can be easily identified on abdominal ultrasound or CT scan. Just because you have a aortic aneurysm does not mean that you need surgery however should consult with your vascular specialist. If you have a family history of aneurysm disease, previous diagnosis of a aneurysm or a smoking history you may qualify for a screen aortic ultrasound.
Treatment
Once your vascular specialist determines you require surgery there are many options available depending on the aneurysm location and size. Our office offers state-of-the-art advanced Endovascular options for repair where over 90% of patient can be treated minimally invasively.
- Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a less invasive treatment and is most frequently performed.Y our vascular surgeon would make two small punctures in your groin. Guided by X-ray imaging, a tiny device is introduced into the artery. This device is used to reinforce the artery wall and exclude the aneurysm. Most patients stay in the hospital one to two days. Recovery time is shorter than with open surgery.
- TEVAR, or Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair is a minimally invasive procedure to fix aneurysms (weak, bulging spots) or tears (dissections) in the thoracic aorta (the part of the body's main artery in the chest) by inserting a fabric-covered stent graft to reinforce it, preventing rupture. It's a less invasive alternative to open surgery, offering quicker recovery, and is performed by guiding a catheter through a groin incision up to the aorta using X-ray imaging to place the stent graft, stopping blood flow to the damaged area.
- FEVAR, or Fenestrated Endovascular Aortic Repair is a minimally invasive surgical procedure using custom-made stent grafts with pre-cut holes (fenestrations) to repair complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) near the kidney and visceral arteries, allowing blood flow to continue to vital organs while sealing off the weakened aorta, a technique often used when traditional repairs aren't feasible due to the aneurysm's location.
- TBAD
- An Iliac Branch Device (IBD) is a specialized stent graft used in miniminally invasive surgery, for treating aneurysms for blockages in the iliac ateries by extending treatment into the internal iliac artery while keeping the external iliac open. These devices have a main body with a side branch, allowing surgeons to cover the problematic iliac artery while maintaining flow to the internal (pelvic) and external (leg) iliac arteries, reducing the need for open surgery.
- Open surgery repair is performed to place a prosthetic graft. Your vascular surgeon would access the affected portion of the aortic artery through an incision in your abdomen. Most patients stay in the hospital four to 10 days. Recovery time may take up to three months.
