You had endovascular aortic surgery repair to repair an aneurysm (a widened part) in your aorta, the large artery that carries blood to your belly (abdomen), pelvis, and legs.
Your doctor made a small incision (cut) near your groin to find your femoral artery. Then your doctor inserted a stent and a manmade (synthetic) graft through the incision into the artery. The doctor used x-rays to guide the stent and graft up into your aorta where the aneurysm was located. The graft and stent were then opened up and attached to the walls of the aorta.
If the doctor put a catheter in through your groin to place the graft:
You will need to take care of your incision.
Walk short distances 3 to 4 times a day. Slowly increase how far you walk each time. When you are not walking, try to keep your legs higher than the level of your heart.
Ask your doctor about follow-up x-rays you will need to have to check if your new graft is okay.
Your doctor may ask you to take aspirin or another medicine called clopidogrel (Plavix) when you go home. These medicines are blood thinners. They keep your blood from forming clots in your arteries or stent. Do not stop taking them without talking with your doctor first.
See also:
Endovascular surgery does not cure the cause of your aneurysm. Your arteries may become wide again. To prevent the aneurysm from coming back:
Call your doctor or nurse if:
AAA repair - endovascular - discharge; Repair - aortic aneurysm - endovascular - discharge; EVAR - discharge; Endovascular aneurysm repair - discharge
De Bruin JL, Baas AF, Buth J, Prinssen M, Verhoeven EL, Cuypers PW, van Sambeek MR, Balm R, Grobbee DE, Blankensteijn JD; DREAM Study Group. Long-term outcome of open or endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. N Engl J Med. 2010 May 20;362(20):1881-9.
Gloviczki P, Ricotta JJ II. Aneurysmal vascular disease. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 65.
Greenhalgh RM, Powell JT. Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jan 31;358(5):494-501.
Lederle FA, Kane RL, MacDonald R, Wilt TJ. Systematic review: repair of unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Ann Intern Med. 2007 May 15;146(10):735-41.
Updated 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.
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