Mortality after the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm reaches 80% of cases.

-more than 5% of the over 65 Spaniards has aneurysm of aorta, and the prevalence increases with age

– older and larger associated pathology makes increasingly more abdominal aortic aneurysms be treated with Endovascular techniques (m)(ínimamente invasive)

-Endovascular surgeons are able to place internal prosthesis to avoid the expansion of the aneurysm, reducing the risk of rupture, all this through a tiny incision in the groin

-the aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (AAA) is a greater than 3 cm abdominal aortic dilation and its most common complication is rupture, causing serious internal bleeding

Madrid, December of 2011- perhaps many do not know, but Albert Einstein died on April 18, 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. UU., as a result of a rupture of an aneurysm in abdominal aorta (AAA). This is just one example of a disease so unknown as frequent. Contrary to what happens with the ischemia, in which the blood vessels become narrow in aneurysms, in a way, reverse is: arteries are dilating until it reaches a point where they break and there is a dangerous internal bleeding ”, said Jordi Maeso Lebrun, clinical Chief of the service of AngiologyVascular Surgery and Endovascular the Hospital Universitari Vall d ’ D’hebron of Barcelona, on the occasion of his participation in the International Symposium II of surgery Endovascular, held in Madrid.

The aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (AAA) is a dilatation of the abdominal aorta greater of 3 cm. affects more than 5% of 65 males and usually no symptoms ” said the expert. Its complication more common, and on many occasions, the first clinical manifestation, is the rupture of the artery, which has resulted in a mortality rate between 50% and 80% of cases ”.

It has been observed that the rate of rupture of aneurysms is dependent on the size of them. Bigger the aneurysm, higher is the rate of breakage ”. These data makes clear the need to detect and treat the AAA before their break-up, being generally accepted to be addressed over the age of 5 cm in diameter AAA ” explained Dr. Maeso.

The traditional treatment of aneurysm has been, until now, open surgery, with the replacement of the abdominal aorta using a graft, in many cases ”.

Dr. Maeso, which in turn is Vice President of the chapter of Endovascular surgery, has continued explaining that the abdominal aortic aneurysm is a disease whose prevalence increases with age and increasingly will increase the number of octogenarians AAA patients needing treatment. Advanced age, is usually associated with an increase in the associated pathology which increases the risk of any therapeutic procedure ”.

For this reason, the new techniques of endovascular AAA treatment, consisting of the placement of a prosthesis endovascular in the SAC aneurysmal, fixing the prosthesis in a healthy section of aorta, are revolutionizing the treatment of this disease, that it benefits the patient from all points of view ”. The expert has pointed out that the good results obtained with last generation prostheses have led to an increase of the indications for endovascular treatment in relation to open surgery, thus extending the number of cases treated ”.

The prosthesis for the treatment of the AAA endovascular consists of a metal skeleton, which at present, already occurs even with holes for the entry of blood flow to the visceral branches, allowing the treatment of patients who cannot be treated with the standard Endoprosthesis ”.

Before the operation, it is essential to make an appropriate choice of the patient. In addition, should be measured in a CT scan different parts of the aneurysm, thus allowing the endovascular surgeon to choose the type and extent of the prosthesis fits the morphology of each ”.

The procedure is performed in an operating room equipment radiation for the release of the device (stent) under x-ray control. After the operation, be a proper control of the postoperative, which hitherto has made traditionally with TAC, although it is also beginning to use doppler ultrasound. Revisions are made immediately, 6 months, a year and, subsequently, once a year postoperative ”.

Dr. Maeso concludes by pointing out that the use of Endovascular techniques in the treatment of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, allows to enjoy a minimally invasive surgery, in which everything is done through a small puncture in the groin, without injure other adjacent tissues with a time of convalescence and recovery extremely short ”.