For patients
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAA is an enlargement of the aorta, the main artery in the abdomen. The aorta is important because it carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to much of the body, including the intestines, kidneys and legs.
Thoracic/Abdominal
Stenting
Overview
Signs and symptoms
What is abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)?
AAA is an enlargement of the aorta, the main artery in the abdomen. The aorta is important because it carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to much of the body, including the intestines, kidneys and legs.
The most common cause of an aneurysm is hardening and narrowing of the arteries, or “atherosclerosis,” caused by fat deposits in the vessel wall. Atherosclerosis occurs after decades of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or smoking. Atherosclerosis weakens the vessel wall, which begins to thin and balloon outward causing the aorta to increase in size. If they grow large enough, AAA can cause the vessel to tear, resulting in internal bleeding, a life-threatening medical emergency.
Although ultrasound is a common method of monitoring aneurysms, other types of technology may also be used.
Who is at risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Several risk factors are associated with AAA:
- AAA is much more common in those age 60 and over
- It is also more common among those whose relatives have had AAA
- AAA is six times more common in men than women
- Smoking increases the risk of aneurysm seven times
What are the symptoms of AAA?
Two of the most common symptoms of AAA are a deep, constant pain in the abdomen and pulsating feeling near the navel.
IR treatment options
How do IRs treat AAA?
Your interventional radiologist may decide to treat an aneurysm if it grows too quickly or becomes too large. Treatment is also suggested if an aneurysm causes pain in the chest, abdomen or legs.
Interventional radiologists provide the least invasive treatment option—inserting a metal tube called a “stent” into the aorta to help support the vessel wall and prevent an aneurysm from growing. Using image guidance, the IR inserts a catheter into the femoral artery, the large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. Using this artery as a safe path to the aorta, the stent-graft is inserted into the damaged part of your aorta, to strengthen the walls of the aorta. The stent is covered in a high-tech fabric to create a graft.
The procedure can be performed using local anesthesia to numb the skin and with painkillers like those used at the dentist’s office. This treatment helps patients avoid major surgery, reducing recovery time and decreasing risk of death during hospital stay.
Follow up and recovery
What is the treatment’s recovery like?
After the stent-graft is inserted and the instruments are removed, a small bandage will cover the incision. Usually, you’ll need to keep your legs straight for two hours and likely recover overnight in the hospital. If no complications occur, you’ll go home the next morning or within a few days. You will see your doctors in their offices for routine follow-up.
The recovery time for AAA repair varies by the patient, but most patients can expect to recover fully after about a month to 6 weeks.
During your recovery, you will be instructed not to lift heavy objects for 2 weeks or soak in the tub for 1 week. However, you will generally be able to do anything else you like while you heal. The procedure results in no large scar, and no pain killers are required. You will not need to take significant time off work.
Follow-up imaging is required to ensure that the stent-graft remains in good position and that the aneurysm does not continue to grow.
Last review
September 2024