Although an abdominal aortic aneurysm may not cause symptoms at first, it can quickly become life-threatening if it bursts. The vascular team at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health provides expert care to find and treat aneurysms early, before they become dangerous.
What Is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?
An aneurysm is a weak area in an artery wall that begins to bulge, due to pressure from inside the artery. The aorta is the body’s largest artery, which carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the entire body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm affects the lower part of the aorta, where it passes through the torso.
If the aneurysm continues to grow, it can burst (rupture), causing extensive bleeding and even death without immediate emergency treatment.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treatment: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?
Our vascular surgeons specialize in minimally invasive procedures and traditional, open surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms. You can expect:
- Expertise in endovascular procedures: Our board-certified vascular surgeons have extensive experience and training in vascular surgery and endovascular (minimally invasive) procedures. We’re also trained in the latest endovascular aneurysm repair techniques, which provide a safe, effective treatment option for people who cannot have open surgery.
- Team approach: Our skilled team includes doctors from vascular surgery, vascular medicine, interventional radiology and other specialties. Working together, we carefully evaluate you to understand your health needs and customize a treatment plan.
- Nationally recognized diagnostic imaging: Our vascular lab has earned accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for our high standards. Our registered vascular technologists have certifications in vascular technology and specialize in vascular imaging.
- Focus on continuous improvement: At LG Health, we report our patient outcomes to national registries—the only hospital in Lancaster County and one of few in the region to do so. We constantly measure our results against national averages to find ways to improve our patient care.
Specialized Care for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
The goal of treatment is to prevent an abdominal aortic aneurysm from bursting. Your treatment options will vary depending on the size, location and growth rate of the aneurysm and your overall health.
At LG Health, we offer all available treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysm, including:
Medical Monitoring
If the aneurysm is small and not causing symptoms, we may recommend monitoring, also called watchful waiting. You’ll have regular checkups with our team with ultrasound imaging to see whether and how fast the aneurysm is growing.
We also treat other symptoms and conditions, such as high blood pressure, that could worsen the aneurysm. You may be able to control symptoms with lifestyle changes, such as a healthy eating and exercise plan, or we may prescribe medications.
Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR)
Larger aneurysms that are growing quickly or causing symptoms may need surgical repair. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is an alternative to open surgery for people who have heart conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other factors.
EVAR is a minimally invasive procedure that treats aneurysms from inside the aorta. In the procedure, your doctor:
- Makes a small incision or puncture to access an artery, usually in the groin (upper thigh)
- Inserts a catheter (long, thin, flexible tube) into the artery and guides it to the abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Places a stent graft (fabric-covered synthetic tube) through the catheter, where it expands to fit the aneurysm
Blood flows through the stent graft, which reinforces the weakened artery wall and relieves pressure to help prevent the aneurysm from bursting. The types of EVAR we use for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair include:
- Traditional EVAR uses a small surgical incision in each groin to access arteries.
- Percutaneous EVAR (PEVAR) uses a small puncture in each groin to access arteries.
- Fenestrated EVAR (FEVAR) repairs aneurysms in the area of the abdominal aorta where the renal (kidney) arteries branch off. The procedure uses a stent graft with openings (fenestrations) that fit the branching renal arteries. Fenestrated stent grafts are custom made to fit each person.
The benefits of EVAR, compared with open aortic aneurysm repair, include:
- Alternative procedure for people who can’t have open surgery
- Smaller incisions or a needle puncture rather than a long incision
- Fewer complications during and after the procedure
- Shorter hospital stay (two to three days compared with a week or more)
- Faster recovery (two weeks compared with six weeks)
Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
For people who are not eligible for an EVAR procedure, our skilled vascular surgeons perform open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
With open repair, the surgeon makes a long incision in the abdomen to access the treatment area. They remove the damaged area of the aorta and sew a graft in its place to reconnect the aorta.
Although EVAR offers short-term advantages, such as a faster recovery, the long-term survival rates are similar for EVAR and open repair.
Make an Appointment
To schedule a consultation for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, call 717-544-3626.