What can I expect from a stent grafting procedure?

Nearly three-quarters of people with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) may be eligible for this non-surgical procedure to correct the dangerous ballooning in the body's main artery.

Stent grafting involves making a small nick in the groin and, under X-ray guidance, inserting a catheter into a blood vessel that leads to the aorta. A collapsed stent graft, also known as an endograft, is inserted through the catheter and moved to the site of the aneurysm, where it is deployed, reinforcing the aorta and creating a stronger pathway for the blood. Blood flowing through the stent graft no longer puts pressure on the ballooning walls of the aneurysm outside of the graft. Before the procedure, most patients are lightly sedated and given epidural anesthesia.

The hospital stay usually is four days or less, and overall recovery takes an average of 11 days.

Or, your doctor may choose to replace the damaged portion of the aorta. A doctor makes a large incision in the abdomen to reach the site, clamps off the aorta, cuts out the aneurysm and sews an artificial artery or graft into place.

Typically, the hospital stay is eight to 10 days and the average recovery time is four to seven days.

About 15 to 20 percent of patients who receive a stent graft experience leakage into the aneurysm sac. Many need no treatment, but are monitored closely. Others may undergo an interventional technique that cuts off blood flow to the problem area to prevent further leakage (known as embolization).