An abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA, is a weak or bulging area in the lower part of the aorta. The aorta is the large artery responsible for delivering blood to the rest of the body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm usually grows slowly and smaller aneurysms are not usually at risk for rupture. Physicians often choose to perform a stent procedure after the aneurysm has reached 5.0 to 5.5 cm, according to Surgical Care Associates.
Open Stent Procedure
The most common stent procedure for an abdominal aortic aneurysm is the open surgical repair. A patient will have this procedure in a hospital under general anesthesia. The Society of Interventional Radiology explains that the surgeon will create an incision from just below the breastbone to above the pubic bone. The surgeon will clamp off the aorta, open the aneurysm and sew in a plastic stent. The blood will now flow through the plastic stent so it does not place anymore pressure on the weakened artery wall. Most patients recover from the surgery in the intensive care unit and remain in the hospital for about seven days. Full recovery commonly takes six weeks or longer.
Endovascular Repair
Endovascular repair is a minimally invasive technique in which a surgeon or interventional radiologist makes a small incision in the femoral artery and attaches a synthetic graft to a thin tube that is threaded through the artery to the aneurysm, according to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Once in place the surgeon will expand the graft and the stent reinforces the weakened area of the aorta. The surgeon then expands a metal spring-like frame to maintain pressure against the aortic wall, cutting off the supply of blood to the aneurysm. The aneurysm will then shrink over time. Patients are often discharged the day after the procedure and many return to normal activity within two weeks.
Complications
Like any surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection for both procedures. Possible complications of open surgical repair include heart attack, kidney failure, respiratory tract failure and interruption of blood supply to the colon and spinal cord, according to Surgical Care Associates. A possible complication of an endovascular repair includes the possibility of the stent shifting. The Society of Interventional Radiology explains that people will have to have follow up studies for the rest of their lives to ensure the stent is functioning properly.
