Repair of aortic aneurysm, dissection, or transection traditionally has required an incision in the front or side of the chest in order to replace the damaged portion of the aorta. Aortic stent grafting, also known as endovascular aortic surgery, is a less invasive procedure that can be used in certain patients.
In this operation, small incisions are made in the groin and catheters are inserted in the leg arteries. Using live x-rays, a synthetic graft is placed inside the aneurysm or dissection. This graft is composed of thin material covering a flexible frame, or stent, and seals off the portion of the aorta. Blood now travels within the stent graft, essentially forming a "tube within a tube." The diseased part of the aorta is now protected from further enlargement.
Aortic stent-grafting is currently used for treatment of aneurysms in the descending thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta. This approach can also be employed for "hybrid" operations, where standard surgical replacement is performed for part of the aorta, and then a stent-graft is used for the remainder.