Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Stenting
Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the largest artery of the body that lies in the belly. Though usually asymptomatic, sudden pain in the stomach or lower back may be a warning sign to a rupture. As the size of the aneurysm increases, its chances of rupture increase.
Traditionally these bulges have been repaired by open surgery which involved a large incision in your belly to replace the damaged bulging part of the aorta with a manmade tube known as a graft. The recovery could take months and the procedure carried the risk of death and spinal cord damage.
The newer treatment approach is stenting. Stenting involves putting large sheath (tubes in your groin. A graft is then inserted through this sheath and placed in the bulging area of the aorta. The recovery is faster; few days and most patients return to regular activity within a week.
Compared to the surgical approach, stenting requires regular follow up after the procedure.