Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair in Boulder, CO

Alpine Surgical offers abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in Boulder, CO. Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a common disease that affects around 1.1 million Americans in a year. If you are experiencing a severe pain in your belly or lower back, you may have this type of aneurysm.

What Is Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is an expansion or bulge in the aorta that runs through your belly (abdominal aorta). The bulge arises in a place where the aorta’s wall has weakened. Normally, your aorta’s wall is strong and flexible enough to withstand the steady pressure of blood that your heart pumps out.

However, aging, tobacco use, and certain medical problems can weaken the aortic wall. When the wall is weak, it cannot withstand the stresses of blood flow as effectively as it should. As a result, the weakening area of your aortic wall stretches and grows.

This growth, or ballooning, becomes wider over time. If a portion of your aorta extends to more than 50% of its normal diameter, your doctor will diagnose you with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. If left untreated, the aorta will continue to grow, burst, and cause internal bleeding.

Surgical Repair of Life-Threatening Aneurysms

There are non-surgical treatments available to slow the growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms, including lifestyle changes and medications. However, when the bulge of the aorta has grown to at least five centimeters, you will need to have abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. You will also need it if the aneurysm is causing symptoms or has burst.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is a surgical treatment that corrects a weakened and bulging segment of the aorta, the main blood vessel that transports blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It consists of either open surgical repair (a big incision is created to replace the aneurysm with a graft) or endovascular repair (EVAR), a minimally invasive treatment in which a stent graft is implanted through a tiny incision.

Most surgeons and patients favor EVAR for surgery because it is easier to recover from and has a higher short-term survival rate. When the anatomy is correct, an EVAR can give a long-term repair.

 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair at Alpine SurgicalMales have a higher chance of getting AAA compared to females. You’re also more likely to get the disease as you get older. When such instances happen, Alpine Surgical can help you with abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in Boulder, CO.