What is Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 6 years of experience
What is the meaning of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
A surgical procedure done to fix a weakened area in the aorta (the main artery leaving the heart and passing down the chest and stomach) is known as an aortic aneurysm repair surgery.
An aortic aneurysm is a dilation, bulging, or ballooning in the wall of the aorta due to the degeneration or weakness that develops in a portion of the arterial wall.
The aneurysm may enlarge and stretch the walls of the aorta and makes it thinner, which prevents it from stretching any further. The aneurysm may increase the risk of rupture of the aorta and cause life-threatening bleeding. The aortic aneurysm repair surgery includes the removal of the diseased portion of the aorta, and its replacement using a synthetic material, called a graft.
An aortic aneurysm repair surgery includes many risks and is performed when other modes of treatment are not possible or are ineffective.
In this article, we will be discussing in detail aortic aneurysm repair surgery.
- What are the different types of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- What is the purpose of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- What are the symptoms of an Aortic Aneurysm that require Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- What is the diagnostic procedure before Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- How to prepare for Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- What is the procedure of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- How to care after Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- What are the risks of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- How to prevent an Aortic Aneurysm?
- What is the cost of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery in India?
What are the different types of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
The types of aortic aneurysm repair surgeries include:
Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA) surgery:
- An aortic aneurysm seen in the abdominal (stomach) region can be repaired using this procedure.
Thoracic aortic aneurysm repair surgery:
- This surgery is performed in the portion of the aorta present in the chest region.
What is the purpose of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
The following can cause aortic aneurysm and may require an aortic aneurysm repair surgery:
- Atherosclerosis (when fat and cholesterol build-up is seen inside the arteries)
- Smoking
- Injury or trauma
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Congenital defects (defects present at birth)
What are the symptoms of an Aortic Aneurysm that require Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
The following are the symptoms of an aortic aneurysm, which may require an aortic aneurysm repair surgery:
- Heartbeat felt in the abdominal region
- Pain in the abdomen
- Neck pain
- Jaw pain
- Chest pain
- Back pain
- Cough ( Know more about- What are the causes of Whooping cough? )
- Hoarseness
- Difficulty in breathing
- Blood flow to the other parts of the body, like the legs, is interrupted
- Aortic aneurysm grows quickly
- Aortic aneurysm larger than two inches in size
- Aortic dissection (blood leaking into the walls of the aorta)
- Aortic aneurysm rupture showing the following symptoms:
- Pale skin
- Clammy skin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Excessive thirst
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Increased heartbeat
- Anxiety ( Know more about- Why is Anxiety bad for health? )
What is the diagnostic procedure before Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- Physical examination: Your overall health status is assessed by the doctor. Your symptoms and medical history are noted by the doctor.
- Blood tests: The test helps the doctor in diagnosing medical conditions like thyroid disorders and diabetes.
- Chest x-ray and lung x-ray: These x-rays help in checking the condition of the heart and lungs before the procedure.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG): It is a test done to record the electrical activity of the heart, and diagnose heart disorders.
- Echocardiogram: This test helps in obtaining the image of the heart, heart valves, chambers of the heart, and evaluating the pumping action of the heart using ultrasound. ( Know more about- What is Echocardiography? )
- Stress test: This test helps the doctor in determining how well the heart works during physical activity.
How to prepare for Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- Your doctor should be told about any medical diseases that you may be having.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking any medications, supplements, or herbs.
- If you are allergic to any medications, anesthetic agents, latex, or iodine, tell your doctor about the same.
- You will be told to not eat or drink anything 8 to ten hours before the procedure.
- Stop smoking at least fourteen days before the surgery.
- The doctor will tell you to stop taking blood-thinning medications like aspirin or warfarin a few days before the surgery.
- Follow a balanced diet and exercise regularly to lose any excess weight that you may have before the procedure.
- The doctor will prescribe a laxative to clear the bowels of the patient the day before the surgery.
What is the procedure of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- The aortic aneurysm repair surgery may be performed under general anesthesia (the patient is completely asleep during the surgery), or regional anesthesia (a nerve block is given for numbing a large area of the body) with sedation (to make the patient relaxed).
- One of the following two methods can be used for an aortic aneurysm repair surgery:
Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair:
- The surgeon inserts a catheter and guidewire through an artery in the groin or leg region.
- The tip of the catheter carries a deflated synthetic graft.
- The synthetic graft can expand like spring after the catheter is in its place.
- The walls of the aorta are reinforced using a synthetic graft.
- The blood now flows through the synthetic graft.
- This surgery has lesser complications, lesser pain, and quicker recovery than open surgery.
- This procedure cannot repair all kinds of aneurysms.
Open abdominal or open chest repair surgery:
- The surgeon makes a large incision (cut) in the abdomen or chest area, depending on where the aortic aneurysm is present.
- The surgeon removes the weakened part of the aorta and replaces it using a synthetic graft.
- An open surgery allows the doctor to view and access the surgical area directly.
- This procedure has an increased risk of complications, is more painful, and has a longer recovery time compared to an endovascular surgery.
- An open surgery requires a larger incision, and an increased risk of displacement and cutting of the surrounding muscles, tissues, and organs than an endovascular surgery.
- In spite of all its disadvantages, open surgery is still considered to be a safer and more effective method for most patients.
How to care after Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
- The anesthesia effect wears off after a couple of hours.
- A breathing tube may be given in the patient’s mouth, not allowing the patient to talk, but it is normally removed in a couple of days.
- You may have a sore throat for a few days after removing the breathing tube.
- The patient usually stays in the hospital for two to five days following an endovascular procedure.
- After open surgery, the patient stays in the hospital for seven to ten days.
- It is absolutely normal to have some pain after the procedure.
- The doctor may recommend painkillers to ease the discomfort and pain. ( Know more about- What is Naprosyn Tablet? )
- The amount of time taken for recovery depends on the kind of procedure done, the age of the patient, and the overall health of the patient.
- Mild to moderate exercises are recommended for a quicker recovery.
- Follow all the lifestyle, diet, and activity restrictions that the doctor recommends.
- Contact your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms after the surgery.
- Complete recovery from the procedure may take two weeks to a few months.
- Follow-up visits with the doctor are required to check the graft status.
- Some additional maintenance procedures may be required later for the maintenance of the graft.
What are the risks of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery?
The following complications are associated with an aortic aneurysm repair surgery:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Blood clot formation
- Allergic reaction to anesthetic agents
- Blockage of the graft
- Damage to the blood vessel
- Leaking of blood from the graft
- Nerve damage
- Injury to the spinal cord (a nerve tissue column extending from the base of the skull to the center of the back)
- Bowel damage
- Sexual problems (due to nerve injuries in the groin region)
- Pain in the abdomen
- Bloating in the abdomen
- Breathing difficulties
- Dizziness ( Know more about- What is Dizziness and Home remedies for Dizziness ? )
- Confusion
- Chest pain ( Know more about- What are the home remedies for chest pain ? )
- Chest pressure
- Coughing up yellow or green mucus
- Coughing up blood
- Fever
- Inability to urinate
- Inability to have a bowel movement
- Leg pain, redness, or swelling
- Pain that cannot be relieved using pain medications
- Drainage of pus on the site of incision
- Redness or swelling on the incision site
How to prevent an Aortic Aneurysm?
An aortic aneurysm can be prevented by making the following lifestyle changes:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking
- Manage stress
- Treat medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol ( Know more about- What to eat to lower cholesterol? )
What is the cost of Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery in India?
The total cost of aortic aneurysm repair surgery in India can range from around INR 6,00,000 to INR 8,00,000, depending on the type of procedure done. However, many prominent hospital doctors in India specialize in aortic aneurysm repair surgery. But the cost varies across different hospitals.
If you are coming from abroad, apart from the cost of aortic aneurysm repair surgery, there will be an additional cost of living in a hotel and the cost of local travel. After the procedure, the patient is kept for one day in the hospital and seven days in the hotel for recovery. So, the total cost of aortic aneurysm repair surgery in India comes to a total of INR 7,80,000 to INR 10,40,000.
We hope that we could answer all your questions regarding aortic aneurysm repair surgery through this article.
If you need more information about aortic aneurysm repair surgery, you can contact a Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon.
We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medication or treatment to anyone. Only a qualified doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.
