| Aortic aneurysms
are weak places in the aorta, the main blood vessel in the body. As
the weakening continues the aorta bulges and grows until, at some
time, it bursts. This represents a catastrophic event and usually
results in death. Aneurysms are treated by replacing the weakened
segment with a "new" or artificial aorta in the form of
a prosthetic graft. Conventional aneurysm repair involves open surgery
to expose the aorta and sew in a new graft. Endovascular aneurysm
repair, a new procedure, involves replacing the aorta with a graft
that is inserted from with the blood vessel by advancing it up the
leg arteries into the aorta, thus avoiding the large abdominal incision. |
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