Patient experience with open surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm repair

This short explainer videos discusses what an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is, what problems they can cause. Credits to Aida Abdelwahed and Noura Houbby (Imperial College, London Medical Students).

This gentleman and his wife have kindly agreed to share their experience from the treatment he needed for symptomatic aortic aneurysm repair. He was admitted as an emergency due to increasing abdominal pain, which was related to expanding abdomina aortic aneurysm. He recovered well from the surgery.

Mr Usman Jaffer explains that an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the aorta, which is the main blood vessel taking blood away from the heart down into the abdomen (belly). A small aneurysm has a low risk of rupture (bursting). As the aneurysm gets larger, there is a higher chance of rupture.

Mr Usman Jaffer explains when it is important to consider repair for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Evidence from trials shows that operating on small aneurysms (less than 5.5cm in diameter) has no benefit over monitoring. Generally, we would offer to repair aneurysms greater than 5.5cm.

Professor Alun Davies explains that there are two main treatment options for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and that they are open surgery and endovascular repair.

This is a Surgical operation to repair an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA; swelling of the abdominal aorta). This topic discuses when an AAA needs to be repaired and talks about what the traditional open operation involves including pre- and post-surgery expectations for infra-renal AAA. The traditional, open operation for AAA is the most durable and robust way to repair an infra-renal AAA. Other techniques to repair an infra-renal AAA can include keyhole or endovascular repair.