The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It begins at the heart and runs through the chest and abdomen. Sometimes the walls of the aorta weaken and bulge in one area. An aortic repair is a surgery to create a support for the weakened area.
If you are planning to have an aortic aneurysm repair, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
Your doctor will likely do some or all of the following:
Talk to your doctor about your medicines. You may be asked to stop taking some medicines up to one week before the procedure, like:
Leading up to your procedure:
General anesthesia will be used. You will be asleep.
Depending on the location of the aneurysm, blood flow may need to be passed to a heart-lung machine. The machine will temporarily do the jobs of the heart and lungs.
An incision will be made over the area of the aneurysm. This may be in the abdomen or chest. The aorta will be clamped off above and below the aneurysm. The doctor will open the aneurysm and clean out any debris. The graft will be sewn into place to reconnect the two ends of the aorta. The tissue of the aneurysm will then be wrapped around the outside of the graft.
When the graft is properly in place, the clamps will be released. This will allow blood flow to resume through the aorta. The incision will be closed, using either stitches or staples. The area will be covered with a sterile dressing.
Some aneurysms can be repaired without a large abdominal incision. Instead, punctures are made in the arteries in the groin. Not all patients are suited for this procedure. Your doctor will discuss your options with you.
Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
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You will be brought to a recovery room after surgery. You will be monitored there for any negative effects from the surgery or anesthesia.
One hour to a few hours
Anesthesia prevents pain during surgery. The incision will cause some pain after the surgery. Talk to your doctor about medicines to help you manage the pain.
The usual length of stay is 4-7 days. Your doctor may choose to keep you longer if complications occur.
When you return home, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery:
Recovery takes about six weeks. If you had symptoms from your aneurysm before the surgery, you may notice some improvements in your health. You may find you have more strength and less swelling in your legs. You may also have lower blood pressure, improved energy, and absence of pain from the aneurysm.
After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:
In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.
RESOURCES:
American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org
The Society of
Thoracic Surgeons
http://www.sts.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://www.heartandstroke.ca
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
http://www.ottawaheart.ca/
References:
Aneurysm repair. The Texas Heart Institute website. Available at: http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Proced/asurg.cfm . Updated August 2012. Accessed May 6, 2013.
Aortic aneurysms. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons website. Available at: http://www.sts.org/sections/patientinformation/aneurysmsurgery/aorticaneurysms/index.html . Accessed May 6, 2013.
Sidebotham D, McKee A, Gillham M, Levy J. Cardiothoracic Critical Care . 2007.
6/2/2011 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.e8.
Last reviewed May 2013 by Michael J. Fucci, DO ; Michael Woods, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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