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Interventional abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is an endovascular procedure used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm, a cardiology condition where blood collects in the aorta near your stomach, causing the aorta to balloon. Aneurysms that get too big may rupture, a potentially fatal situation.
At Dignity Health Heart and Vascular Institute of Greater Sacramento, we offer the latest minimally invasive cardiology tools to help our patients recover faster with less pain and better results.
During an endovascular procedure, your heart doctor inserts a graft inside the aortic wall to help support it. The graft is secured to the aorta above and below the aneurysm. Unlike Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, this procedure only requires two small incisions, not a large one over your stomach.
Here's how it's done:
If your aneurysm is small, your heart doctor may recommend a "wait and watch" approach to monitor it. Larger aneurysms will require treatment to repair them so they don't rupture, a potentially life-threatening situation.
The type of repair approach your doctor recommends – open surgery or minimally invasive repair – depends on a number of factors, including:
An endovascular, or interventional, procedure may be preferred for older and higher-risk patients. For others, your cardiology doctor may recommend open surgery as the best option for you. Learn more about Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.