Are there new breakthroughs for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm surgeries?

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: 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!!

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.

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

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 am impressed with how quickly you recovered! My aneurysm is at 4.2 now. 65 yo female, good health and fit. In a wait and see routine. Where did you have your surgery? Curious if you sought out either Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic.

Hi, I had an AAA it grew to 5.2 cm and 4 years ago I had the surgery to have it repaired. The difficulty in the surgery depends a lot on your general health and fitness, my Dr gave me a 99+% chance of full success/no complications based on my general fitness (I exercised frequently, never smoked, no other underlying conditions, in my mid 50's back then), for me it was a no brainer, my Aneurysm was very large especially compared to my body size, in my mind just a time bomb. I had it fixed 2 months after it was found (had to wait a little as it was found while getting me prep'ed for leg fracture surgery and they want you walking right after surgery). Not going to lie, immediately after recovery is tough, painful and felt horrible at times. Recovered fast though, out of hospital in 5-6 days, back to work in 3 weeks

Hello Heather1976!
Thank you for post. I'm sorry to hear about your condition and I will keep you in my prayers.
Best Regards,
John

Hi John,
It sounds like your surgeon is being more cautious than mine. I have a 3.2cm (1.25inches)saccular aneurysm on my abdominal aorta and also one measuring 2.3cm on my common iliac. Sounds like the one on your aorta is about the same size as mine and my surgeon says he won't operate yet but when it is time it will probably be the open surgery as I am still fairly young (47). I have also read that saccular aneurysms are more likely to rupture. Added to that, I also have anoher saccular aneurysm on my iliac, and I am female - all things I have read which would make an operation more imperative and yet still my surgeon doesn't want to operate. Maybe after my scan in May he might change his mind if it has grown. I will have to wait and see. In themean while I'm left very anxious and worried about exerting myself and am fearful of traveling anywhere where there isn't a good hospital within a 15 minute drive! I do not want to have to have the op but if I need it then I would like to get it over with. The recovery sounds bad (worse for women apparently) and the younger you are when you have it the stronger you are for the recovery. But it does sound like a life changing operation so it is really an unpleasant situation to be left in. That does sounds scary about the colon but if your surgeon recommends surgery I would trust them. Basically there is no good way to look at out situations unfortunately. We just need to hope it all works out. I have spent too many nights laying awake being terriefied. These days I try to pretend it doesn't exist. Neither are great!

I will post my results after I get my Ultrasound and see my doctor in April. God has gotten me through the worst of times, and I believe he will get me through this also. Have a good week.