Your doctor has recommended that you have surgery to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
But what does that actually mean?
The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the organs
in your body.
An aneurysm is a bulge or swelling in a blood vessel.
This type of bulge occurs when a blood clot or blood clots develop in the aorta, causing
to expand.
In your case, your doctor has determined that a portion of the aorta passing through your
abdomen - the area between your legs and your chest - has developed a blood clot.
In most cases these clots are caused by fatty deposits that build up inside the arteries.
Aneurysms are dangerous because the blood clot weakens the blood vessel and can cause
it to burst.
The surgery your doctor has recommended will remove the blood clot and reinforce the weakened
wall of the aorta.
Your Procedure:
On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown.
You may receive a sedative by mouth and an intravenous line may be put in.
You will then be transferred to the operating table.
In the operating room, the anesthesiologist will administer general anesthesia by injection
and inhalation mask.
The surgeon will then apply an antiseptic solution to the skin and place a sterile drape
around the operative site
After you are unconscious, your doctor will make a vertical incision down the center of
your abdomen.
Skin and other tissue will be pulled back in order to expose the abdominal muscles.
Your doctor will carefully divide the muscle in order to expose the abdominal cavity.
A special instrument called a retractor will be used to hold the chest open.
Once your doctor has a clear view of the abdomen he or she will gently pull the intestines
up and out of the way revealing the aorta and the aneurysm.
Now your doctor can begin to remove the clot.
First, he or she will apply clamps to each of the two arteries that branch away from
the main artery - temporarily preventing blood from flowing to your legs.
Next, your doctor will clamp the artery above the aneurysm.
Once the blood supply has been shut off in this manner, your doctor will make a vertical
incision in the artery wall and two small horizontal incisions to allow access to the
damaged area.
The blood clot can then be removed.
The surgical team will sew together any damaged blood vessels inside the aorta.
A tube made of a sterile synthetic material can now be inserted into the vessel to provide
support and reinforcement.
It is then sewn into place.
One by one your doctor will remove the clamps, restoring blood flow to the legs.
After verifying there are no leaks around the surgical field, the team will finally
close the vessel with sutures.
Your doctor will restore all internal organs to their proper positions.
The muscles and other tissue can then be closed with sutures.
Finally, the skin is closed with staples and a sterile dressing is applied.