Surgery for Aortic Aneurysms

Management of Aortic Aneurysms is done nowadays by Endovascular techniques rather than open surgery. Most patients can be treated without opening the chest or abdomen.

The word “aneurysm’ means out-pouching or bulging of a portion of a blood vessel that can occur anywhere in the body.

When a blood vessel wall bulges, or dilates, it becomes thin and tense, just like blowing too much air into a balloon. At a certain size, that dilated portion of the vessel wall is in danger of rupturing or tearing (called a “dissection”). This can be a life-threatening emergency. An open surgery with a tube graft is performed to prevent this complication.