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Endovascular stent grafting is a less-invasive alternative to open surgical repair. The procedure generally takes less time and allows you to heal quickly.
Factors Your Doctor May Consider
Endovascular stent grafting has made abdominal aortic aneurysm repair safer and more comfortable for many people, but the procedure is not for everyone. Before recommending endovascular stent grafting for you, your doctor will take a number of factors into consideration, including your age, the size and condition of your aneurysm and aorta, your medical history, and your health history. More
Surgery: What to Expect
Unless you are faced with a medical emergency, you will have time to learn about your surgery, what to expect, and how to prepare. Take an active role in learning about the procedure, so that when your doctor explains the surgery to you, you will already be somewhat familiar with the procedure. More
Factors Your Doctor May Consider – Endovascular Stent Graft
If you are considering endovascular stent grafting for the treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), you have been told by your doctor that you have an aneurysm in your aorta that needs repair. This is because your doctor may feel that the aneurysm is getting bigger and there is a risk of it rupturing.
Currently, the standard treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm is open surgery. In this procedure, the section of the vessel where the aneurysm has formed is replaced with a synthetic graft.
An alternative to open surgery for abdominal aneurysm repair is a minimally invasive procedure called endovascular stent grafting. This is also referred to as endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).
Endovascular stent grafting is called "minimally invasive," because, unlike open surgery, the stents used in endovascular stent grafting are designed to be placed inside the area of the abdominal aortic aneurysm without removing part of the aorta. Also, in minimally invasive repair two small cuts are made in your groin area as opposed to one large cut in your abdomen.
Are You a Candidate for Endovascular Stent Grafting?
You may be a candidate if you are:
18 years of age or older
Not pregnant
Healthy enough to undergo a 2- to 4-hour procedure
Able to attend regularly scheduled office visits with a doctor or radiologist following the procedure, including radiographic imaging studies to evaluate the status of the stent graft and abdominal aortic aneurysm. This includes at least one visit annually for life.
Fully informed about the risks and benefits of the stent graft procedure as compared to open surgical repair
You may not be a good candidate if you have a very large abdominal aortic aneurysm, irregularly shaped aneurysms or blood vessels, or other conditions that your doctor may discuss with you.
Talk to Your Doctor
It is very important that you talk to your doctor about treatment alternatives for your abdominal aortic aneurysm. Your doctor can provide details about the endovascular stent grafting procedure and whether or not it is right for you.
Surgery: What to Expect – Endovascular Stent Graft
Endovascular stent grafting, or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), is a surgical procedure done inside of your aorta using a thin tube called a delivery catheter. Unlike open surgery, which involves a long cut in your abdomen, endovascular surgery requires only two small incisions in the area of your groin.
The surgery usually takes 2 to 4 hours to complete, which is much shorter than open surgery aneurysm repair.
The following information describes what you can expect at each stage of the endovascular stent graft procedure.
Before the Procedure
Prior to the procedure, a number of diagnostic tests will be performed. These diagnostic tests allow the doctor to visualise the abdominal aneurysm and the surrounding area, and help the surgeon decide what type of stent graft is most appropriate for you. During this time, your doctor will discuss the surgery with you, and answer any questions you may have.
During the Procedure
To prepare you for the procedure, the area of your groin where the delivery catheter and stent are introduced will be cleaned and shaved. Then you will receive either local anaesthesia, to numb the area of the surgery, or general anesthesia to put you to sleep during the surgery.
After the anesthesia has taken effect, your surgeon will make a small incision in both of your thighs. Using x-rays to see the exact location of the aneurysm, the surgeon will guide the delivery catheter through the large vessel in your thigh (iliac vessel) to the aneurysm site in your abdomen.
The stent graft is slowly released from the delivery catheter into the aorta. As the stent graft is released, it expands to the proper size so that it fits into the aorta both above and below the aneurysm.
The delivery catheter is then withdrawn and removed, leaving the stent graft within the aorta. Depending on the shape and size of your aortic aneurysm, additional stent grafts may be placed to ensure that the aneurysm is completely excluded from normal blood flow.
X-rays and ultrasound imaging help the doctor make sure that the stent graft is properly placed and excluding blood flow to your abdominal aortic aneurysm.
After the Procedure
After surgery, you will be monitored carefully by experts on your surgical team. Your doctor may require you to lie flat for 4 to 6 hours to allow the leg wounds to begin healing. There may be some discomfort.
You may experience side effects such as swelling of the upper thigh, numbness of the legs, nausea, vomiting, leg pain or throbbing, malaise, lack of appetite, fever, and/or absence of bowel movement for one to three days. You can typically expect to stay in the hospital for 2 to 4 days.
