Treatment Options

Treatment & Management

If identified early, aortic disease can be managed medically with frequent monitoring, medication and adjustments in lifestyle.
Surgical treatment options include minimally invasive procedures (referred to as endovascular repair), or open repair. Surgical treatment is intended to reconstruct or replace the affected area of the aorta. Such surgical procedures include the placement of a stent or stent-graft, which can be placed through open repair, endovascular repair (minimally invasive), or a hybrid approach combining the two. The most common treatment modalities are open repair of ascending aorta for type A dissection, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B dissection.

Open Repair

During this procedure, the abdominal segment of the aorta is replaced with a prosthetic tube graft through an open incision.  This procedure requires general anesthesia.  The hospitalization period is 5-7 days and full recovery can take a few weeks.  The Department’s outcomes are among the best in the country.

Endovascular Abdominal Aneurysm Repair (EVAR)

The minimally invasive endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedure involves making small incisions in the groin and threading catheter tubes through the femoral arteries and into the aorta. A fabric-covered metal stent is introduced through the artery and fixed in place, relieving pressure on the artery to prevent rupture. Patients remain conscious under local anesthesia during the procedure. Patients who undergo EVAR have lower morbidity rates and shorter recovery times and can usually resume normal activity within a few days after surgery.

Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR)

A minimally invasive alternative to open surgical repair of diseases of the thoracic aorta, TEVAR is most commonly used to correct thoracic aneurysmal disease. Using the TEVAR procedure, the vascular surgeon inserts an endograft (fabric covered stent) into the aneurysm as a replacement for the diseased segment of the aorta. Patients benefit from reduced mortality and morbidity, shorter hospitalizations and more rapid recovery.
Advanced Endovascular Aortic Program