Aortic aneurysm repair is performed when an aneurysm forms in the aortic artery. An aneurysm is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery, related to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel. The aorta is a large artery that stems from the heart and carries blood to the rest of the body.

Some common locations for aneurysms include:

• Abdominal aorta – the major artery from the heart that supplies blood to your abdomen, the pelvis, and legs.
• Thoracic aorta – the major artery from the heart that supplies blood through the chest.

Repairing an aortic aneurysm usually entails surgery, although a stent-graft repair procedure is also gaining popularity as it is minimally invasive and requires less recovery time. The most common procedures are as follows:

• Open Aorta Surgical Repair – The open aorta surgical repair involves placing clamps above and below the aneurysm to stop the blood flow to that part of the artery. Whether or not the surgery will involve the use of a heart-lung machine (cardio-pulmonary bypass) depends on the location of the aneurysm. If the aortic arch is involved, the surgeon may use a specialized technique known as circulatory arrest — a period without blood circulation while the patient is on life support. The surgeon replaces the weakened wall with a fabric tube called a graft. The surgeon may also use a prosthesis device.
  
• Graft-Stent Repair – This less-evasive procedure is used to repair thoracic aneurysms and does not require a chest incision. The surgeon inserts a tube where special catheters are introduced through the arteries at the groin. The physician then deploys a stent-graft or prosthesis at the site of the aneurysm which allows the flow of blood without putting pressure on the weakened wall.
  
• Endovascular Stent-Graft Repair – This less-invasive procedure is used for abdominal aneurysms. This procedure involves using long, thin tubes called catheters inserted in the patient's groin and guided through the blood vessels using live x-ray pictures. The physician then deploys a stent-graft or prosthesis at the site of the aneurysm which allows the flow of blood without putting pressure on the weakened wall. If this repair is unsuccessful, the surgeon may elect to perform an open repair.

A vascular and/or cardio-thoracic surgeon usually performs this surgery which requires a hospital stay, although the endovascular and graft-stent methods typically involve a shorter stay.

Alternative Names: Aortic aneurysm - thoracic; Syphilitic aneurysm; Aneurysm - thoracic aortic.