About Endovascular Repair With a Stent Graft

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

About the Therapy

About Endovascular Repair With a Stent Graft

An endovascular stent graft is like having a small, metal scaffold inside your aorta. It supports the weak area, so you can return to normal activities.

What Is It?

An endovascular stent graft is a synthetic fabric tube (graft) supported by a metal structure (stent). The stent graft helps to bypass the area of the aorta weakened by the aneurysm to keep it from rupturing.

The stent graft is designed so that it can be placed inside of the abdominal aorta, without surgically opening the blood vessel or removing any tissue.
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Benefits and Risks

All treatment and outcome results are specific to the individual patient, and will form part of your consultation with your healthcare professional.

Please consult your healthcare professional for a full list of benefits, indications, precautions, clinical results, and other important medical information that pertains to endovascular repair with a stent graft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Endovascular stent grafting may be a good option for some patients who have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. To decide whether or not it’s a good option for you, talk to your doctor. Here are some questions and answers to help get you started.
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Next: What Is It?

What Is It?

What Is Endovascular Stent Grafting?

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can weaken the aorta, your body’s largest blood vessel. This can develop into a potentially serious health problem that can be fatal if the aneurysm bursts, causing massive internal bleeding.

Endovascular stent grafting, or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), is a newer form of treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm that is less invasive than open surgery. Endovascular stent grafting uses an endovascular stent graft to reinforce the wall of the aorta and to help keep the damaged area from rupturing.

The word endovascular refers to the area inside of a blood vessel such as the aorta. With endovascular stent graft therapy an endovascular stent graft is placed inside of your abdominal aorta to help protect the aneurysm from rupturing.

The stent graft is placed inside of the aortic aneurysm with the help of a long, very thin, soft, plastic tube called a delivery catheter. The delivery catheter contains the compressed stent graft.

Detail - Your aorta runs from your heart and through your abdomen.

An endovascular stent graft

Here is how the endovascular stent graft is placed in the aortic aneurysm:

The catheter is inserted into an artery in the leg near the groin.
Delivery catheter is inserted through the vessel into the aneurysm to guide the stent into place.
Using advanced imaging methods, the surgeon guides the delivery catheter carrying the stent graft to the area of the abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Once the stent graft is in position, the surgeon fastens it into place and removes the delivery catheter.
The endovascular stent graft is placed inside the abdominal aorta to help keep the aneurysm from bursting.

Comparing Endovascular and Open Surgery

Endovascular stent grafting and open surgery grafting are both done to prevent an abdominal aortic aneurysm from rupturing. The difference is that the endovascular stent graft is put into place inside the aneurysm without removing any tissue from your aorta, and it does not require open-chest or open-abdominal surgery.

Because it is less invasive than open surgery, the recovery time for endovascular stent grafting may be faster. Usually, the patient can return home within a week and return to normal activities in 4 to 6 weeks.

Next: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions – Endovascular Stent Grafting

If you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, how do you know if endovascular stent grafting is right for you? Here are some questions and answers about endovascular stent grafting for you to talk about with your doctor and family members.

Am I a candidate for endovascular stent grafting?
Will endovascular stent grafting cure my condition?
If I have the surgery how long will it take me to recover?
Can I still play golf?
What are other treatment alternatives for abdominal aortic aneurysm?

Am I a candidate for endovascular stent grafting?

Endovascular stent grafting depends on several factors, including your age, race, physical condition, family history, the condition and size of your aorta, and the location and size of your aortic aneurysm. Your doctor will perform a medical examination and a series of tests to help decide if endovascular stent grafting is right for you.

Will endovascular stent grafting cure my condition?

When you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, you will live with it for the rest of your life. The endovascular stent graft may help prevent rupture of your aneurysm, but you need to be aware of your condition and make necessary lifestyle changes to avoid complications.

If I have the surgery how long will it take me to recover?

Every individual is different, but after the endovascular stent grafting procedure, you can expect to spend 2 to 4 days in the hospital. Your doctor will give you instructions about what to eat and do before and after the endovascular stent graft surgery.

Can I still play golf?

A few weeks after endovascular stent graft surgery you should be able to resume your normal activities. Your doctor will give you specific instructions about what you should and should not do.

What are other treatment alternatives for abdominal aortic aneurysm?

If your abdominal aortic aneurysm is small, your doctor may recommend periodic exams and prescribe medications and lifestyle changes to reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and smoking habits. If the aneurysm expands, your treatment alternatives are most likely open surgery or endovascular stent grafting.

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