- Treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms
- Treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms
- Complications that can occur with surgery
- What can happen if you don't treat the aneurysm
- How to prevent aortic aneurysms
The treatment for aneurysms in the aorta varies according to the severity of the aneurysm, the region where it is located and other diseases that the person may have, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and peripheral vascular disease. It is often necessary to first treat these associated diseases to have a greater chance of curing the aneurysm. It is also usually necessary to have surgery, such as the bypass, when there is not enough blood reaching the heart.
Treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms
The treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms can be done in two ways:
- In aneurysms smaller than 5 cm and without the presence of symptoms: clinical follow-up with regular examinations; Aneurysms larger than 6 cm, people who have symptoms or when a progressive increase in aneurysm is observed: surgery.
Thoracic aortic aneurysms are relatively rare and the person usually has no symptoms. The surgery is performed with the objective of removing the part of the aorta that presents the aneurysm, being necessary in some cases the placement of a tube to replace the blood vessel.
Treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms
The treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms can be performed in two ways, depending on the characteristics of each patient, such as age and associated diseases:
- Surgery: the part of the aorta that presents the aneurysm is removed and a tube is replaced to replace the part of the aorta that was removed. Endovascular treatment: the tube that will replace the part of the aorta with the aneurysm is placed through an opening made in the femoral artery, which is located in the thigh.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are usually a consequence of atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension favors its appearance. In most cases the aneurysm is located below the renal arteries, being called an aneurysm of the infrarenal aorta.
Complications that can occur with surgery
Complications that may occur during surgery or postoperatively are:
- Hemorrhages; Myocardial ischemia: insufficient blood reaching the heart; Injury to abdominal organs; Ischemia of the sigmoid colon: insufficient blood reaching a region of the large intestine; Ischemia of the lower limbs: insufficient blood reaching the legs; Sexual impotence; Paraplegia;
In the days following the surgery, while the person is still hospitalized, complications such as infarction, pneumonia and kidney failure may also occur. Late complications can be:
- Infection of the tube used to replace the part of the aorta that had the aneurysm; Thrombosis, which is the formation of blood clots within the vessels; Formation of other aneurysms in different locations.
Depending on the patient's age and the presence of other diseases, it may be necessary to have a bypass surgery before the aneurysm is corrected. See how to dress and how to relieve pain after surgery at: general care after any surgery.
What can happen if you don't treat the aneurysm
When left untreated, aortic aneurysms tend to increase in size and rupture, causing severe internal bleeding and an increased risk of death. Other complications can be thrombosis and embolism, which is when a blood clot clogs a vessel. If this clogging occurs in a vessel in the brain, for example, it can cause a stroke. The prognosis is better in people who have no symptoms, but the mortality rate is still high in this disease.
How to prevent aortic aneurysms
The best way to prevent aneurysms is to control associated diseases, such as atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease, hypertension and chronic obstructive disease. Thus, the person must undergo treatment and diet to control cholesterol and hypertension, exercise regularly, avoid alcoholic beverages and stop smoking. See how to eat a diet for the heart.
