My father has what they call an aneurysm of the aorta, where the walls of this major blood vessel bulge out, and apparently can rupture. Is there an alternative to surgery for this?
Great question. You are correct. This is a bulging of the wall of the aorta, which is usually weakened due to atherosclerosis, and is prone to rupture. While the treatment traditionally has been surgery, sometimes an aortic stent graft, which can be put in more non-invasively, can be helpful. In this procedure, doctors perform a stent graft, which is similar to stents that are put in the heart, but which have a covering, and are much larger for the aorta. This is a way to avoid surgery and treat the aneurysm more non-invasively.
Expert: Dean Heller, MD
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