Recovery

Right after the surgery, you will probably feel tired. Your doctor may require you to lie flat for 4 to 6 hours to allow the leg wounds to begin healing. Patients have reported feeling discomfort for the first few days following the endovascular stent grafting procedure. 

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 1 to 3 days.

You can expect to stay in the hospital for approximately 2 to 4 days. During this time, your doctor will encourage you to eat and go for short walks. 

After you leave the hospital your doctor will give you detailed instructions. These will probably include:

• Don’t smoke
• Eat a low-fat, low cholesterol diet
• Get daily exercise
• Do not drive until your doctor says that it’s OK
• Avoid baths – take a sponge bath or shower instead
• Do not lift heavy weights (more than 5 pounds) until your doctor says it’s OK

Follow-Up Visits

After your surgery, you will see your doctor for follow-up visits. At these visits, your doctor will check your overall health and make sure that you are healing properly. Your doctor will schedule follow-up imaging tests after 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and once a year for the rest of your life.

These tests help your doctor make sure that the stent graft is working correctly and is still in the right position. If everything looks OK, these tests will become less frequent. If problems arise, your doctor may want to test you more often.

When Should You Call Your Doctor?

If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:

• Pain, numbness, coldness or weakness in your legs or buttocks
• Any back, chest, abdominal or groin pain
• Dizziness, fainting, rapid heartbeat or sudden weakness
• You should also call your doctor if you are required to reschedule your follow-up visit for any reason