Are there new breakthroughs for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm surgeries?

You’re far better off getting it fixed if you know about it now. My aorta dissected in 2015 and I wound up having two emergency open heart surgeries to fix it. Type A dissection of the ascending aorta. UCSD La Jolla CA. It was an absolute unmitigated disaster personally, medically and professionally. I was very lucky to have survived, but I spent three weeks in the hospital and two weeks of that was in a coma. You’re much better off dealing with it when it can be scheduled and when you know it’s there. It gives the doctor a chance to go into it knowing that they have all of the necessary surgical staff on hand, and to have absolutely everything they need for a great outcome including blood, plasma, platelets, and packed red blood cells. It’s about as complicated surgery as you are ever going to see, so the best way to prepare for it is to do it electively rather than by emergency. Follow your thoracic surgeon’s advice. They want good outcomes, and they know what makes for one. Mayo is absolutely top-notch in this area of heart care. You’ll be fine and you’re doing all the right things by asking all the right questions. I’m still here 9 years later. Make sure to go back and say thank you to all your nurses and doctors after you get better. It makes them feel really good to know that they made a difference in your life by making a difference in theirs.

I live in Houston, so found the best surgery team in the Texas Medical Center, Dr Anthony Estrera was my surgeon, an extraordinary Dr in all aspects, incredible surgeon and the nicest person

Good day,
Just over a year ago I had an EVAR procedure done to repair an AAA. We had been watching this AAA for about 4 years until it jumped in size to 5.5. The repair was with the use of 3 stint/ graphs that stretch from just below the renal arteries and split and end in both iliac arteries. It is a procedure that has been used for years. The procedure took about a half day in its entirety from checking in to walking out. I was limited for a period of time on the amount of weight I could lift (10 lbs), but that’s the only inconvenience I faced. This procedure for me in my view has been EXTREMELY successful and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I have it monitored with and ultrasound yearly, after the initial 1 month, 3 month and 6 month scans. The AAA is now at a normal 39mm size and there has been zero adverse side effects.

Hi: Your message was so encouraging. I have had my Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm now going on 5 years, and I go next week to have it checked for size. So far it has not gotten to a 4, but I will know if it has grown next week. Did you say that you went home the same day? I am under the impression that its a bit of a hospital stay after the surgery.
I have so many health issues, and I do not want to worry about this AAA right now.
Praying that you continue to do well. I am so glad that they are coming up with better treatments for this condition than the choices we had years ago.
God Bless You!!

Thank you kindly for your prayers and blessing.

It was a minor hospital stay, a couple of days if recall. It was an easy recovery. I had lifting restrictions for 30 days.
Hope you’re doing well. I felt very blessed to have found it and able to monitor it.

Hi: You are very blessed, and I think you will continue to do well. I was relieved to find out this past Thursday that mine has only grown slightly in 4 years. I will be 77 in November, and my doctor told me that maybe I will have to get the surgery when I am 90. He always trys to make me feel confident, as I have tons of other health issues.

Medical technology has come a long way. A friend of mine had a 9.5 because he forgot to have it checked. The surgeons went up through the groin. He is 73 and doing well. He was very lucky.

Hi: That is great news. One of my doctors told me that by the time I need the surgery they might be able to just scan me to dissolve it. He said that in a funny way to make me relax, but Thank God for all the new forms of surgery that are less invasive for everything.
9.5 is extremely huge!!!

I have 5.4 AAA and scheduled for operation 22May . What is available for video of operation?

Your message was so encouraging. My AAA has increased in suze fro 3.0 to 3.5 in tge past couple of years, but the Dr has suggested surgery due to the fact that Ive been having purple discoloration in my feet, from small embolism thrown off by the AAA. That, combined with my constantly feeling like "a ticking time bomb," has convinced me to have the endovascular surgery. Is ut mist often done under general or local anesthetic? Please tell me what you considered to be the worst part of it all? ( anyone else, too) Thanks in advance!