Simple aneurysms

Simple aneurysms occur below the kidney arteries. These aneurysms can be repaired by open surgery. The procedure involves an incision from just below the breastbone to the top of the pubic bone. The surgeon then clamps off the aorta, cuts open the aneurysm and sews in a synthetic graft to act as a bridge for the blood flow.

An alternative to the above is an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This is a minimally invasive technique using wires and catheters to insert a graft inside the artery. This procedure is carried out via cuts in the patient's groin.

The EVAR method eliminates the need for a large abdominal incision. It also eliminates the need to clamp the aorta during the procedure. Clamping the aorta creates significant stress on the heart and people with severe heart disease may not be able to tolerate this major surgery. Stent grafts are most commonly considered for patients at increased surgical risk due to age or other medical conditions.

Endovascular aneurysm repair is widely used for treating simple aneurysms. Read about complex aneurysms.