Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open
Alternative Names: AAA - open; Repair - aortic aneurysm - open
Open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is surgery to fix a widened part (aneurysm) in your aorta, the large artery that carries blood to your belly (abdomen), pelvis, and legs.
An aortic aneurysm is when part of this artery becomes too large or balloons outward.
Your surgeon opens up your belly and replaces the aortic aneurysm with a man-made, cloth-like material.
Description of Procedure
The surgery will take place in an operating room. You will be given general anesthesia (you will be asleep and pain-free).
- In one approach, you will lie on your back. The surgeon will make a cut in the middle of your belly, from just below the breastbone to below the navel. Rarely, the cut goes across the belly.
- In another approach, you will lie slightly tilted on your right side. The surgeon will make a 5- to 6-inch cut from the left side of your belly, ending a little below your belly button.
- Your surgeon will then replace the part of the aorta that has the aneurysm with a long tube graft. This tube graft is made from man-made (synthetic) cloth and is sewn in with sutures.
- In some cases, the ends of the tube graft will be tunneled through each groin and attached to the leg vessels.
- Once the surgery is done, your legs will be examined to make sure that there is a pulse.
- The cut is closed with sutures or staples.
Surgery for aortic aneurysm replacement may take 2 to 4 hours. Most patients recover in the intensive care unit (ICU) after the surgery.
See also: Aortic aneurysm repair - endovascular
Risks of Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open
The risks for this surgery are higher if you have:
- Heart disease
- Kidney failure
- Lung disease
- Past stroke
- Other serious medical problems
Risks of problems or complications are also higher for older people.
Risks for any surgery are:
- Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
- Breathing problems
- Heart attack or stroke
- Infection, including in the lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, and belly
- Reactions to medicines
Risks for this surgery are:
- Bleeding before or after surgery
- Damage to a nerve, causing pain or numbness in the leg
- Damage to your intestines or other nearby organs
- Infection of the graft
- Injury to the ureter, the tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder
- Lower sex drive or inability to get an erection
- Poor blood supply to your legs, your kidneys, or other organs
- Spinal cord injury
- Wound breaks open
- Wound infections
Learn more about Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Copyright 2011 A.D.A.M., Inc.
