AORTIC ANEURYSM
Patient Information Leaflet
What is the aorta?
The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
It runs through the chest (thoracic aorta) and abdomen (abdominal aorta).
What is an Aortic Aneurysm?
An aortic aneurysm occurs when part of the aorta becomes weak and enlarges (balloons out).
This can happen in:
- Chest → Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA)
- Abdomen → Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Both chest and abdomen → Thoracoabdominal aneurysm
If an aneurysm ruptures (bursts), it causes life-threatening internal bleeding.
Symptoms
Most aneurysms do not cause symptoms and are found incidentally.
When symptoms occur, they may include:
Abdominal aneurysm
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Pulsating lump in abdomen
- Pain in groin or legs
- Dizziness or collapse (rupture)
Thoracic aneurysm
- Chest pain
- Back pain
- Shortness of breath
- Hoarse voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Cough
- Swelling of face or arms
Emergency symptoms (Possible rupture)
Call emergency services immediately if:
- Sudden severe chest, back, or abdominal pain
- Collapse or fainting
- Dizziness
- Vomiting blood
- Sudden leg pain or weakness
Who is at risk?
Risk increases with:
- Age over 60
- Male gender
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Family history of aneurysm
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Previous aneurysm elsewhere
- Aortic dissection history
- Genetic connective tissue disorders
How is an Aortic Aneurysm Diagnosed?
Tests may include:
- Ultrasound (most common for abdominal aneurysm)
- CT scan (CTA)
- MRI scan
- Echocardiogram (thoracic aneurysm)
- Physical examination
These tests determine:
- Size of aneurysm
- Location
- Growth rate
- Risk of rupture
When does an aneurysm need treatment?
Treatment depends on:
- Size of aneurysm
- Growth rate
- Symptoms
- Overall health
- Risk of rupture
Generally, repair is recommended if:
- The aneurysm is large
- It is growing quickly
- It causes symptoms
- There is concern for rupture
Treatment Options
Surveillance (Watchful Waiting)
Small aneurysms may only require monitoring.
This includes:
- Regular scans
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol control
- Smoking cessation
- Exercise (avoid heavy lifting)
- Weight control
Endovascular Repair (EVAR / TEVAR)
Minimally invasive procedure
- Small incision in groin
- Stent graft inserted into aorta
- No large abdominal incision
- Faster recovery
- Shorter hospital stay
Advantages:
- Less pain
- Faster recovery
- Lower early complication risk
Disadvantages:
- Requires long-term follow-up
- Possible need for future procedures
Open Surgical Repair
Traditional operation
- Incision in chest or abdomen
- Aneurysm replaced with synthetic graft
- More invasive
- Longer recovery
Advantages:
- Durable long-term repair
- Less need for re-intervention
Disadvantages:
- Larger surgery
- Longer hospital stay
- Longer recovery
Risks of Aneurysm Repair
All procedures carry risks, including:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney problems
- Lung complications
- Blood clots
- Spinal cord injury (rare)
- Death (rare but possible)
Your surgeon will discuss your individual risk.
What happens after surgery?
After repair:
- ICU or monitored ward stay
- Pain control
- Early mobilisation
- Gradual return to eating
- Walking encouraged
Hospital stay:
- Endovascular: 1–3 days
- Open surgery: longer stay
Recovery
Recovery depends on procedure type:
Endovascular repair:
- Walking same day or next day
- Home in few days
- Return to normal activities in 1–2 weeks
Open repair:
- Recovery 4–8 weeks
- No heavy lifting for 6 weeks
- Gradual return to activity
Long-term follow-up
You will need:
- Regular scans
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol control
- Smoking cessation
- Healthy lifestyle
Follow-up is essential even after repair.
Lifestyle Advice
To reduce risk:
- Stop smoking
- Control blood pressure
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid heavy lifting
- Maintain healthy weight
- Eat heart-healthy diet
- Control diabetes
- Take prescribed medication
When to seek urgent help
Seek emergency care if you develop:
- Sudden severe back pain
- Sudden severe abdominal pain
- Sudden chest pain
- Collapse or fainting
- New leg pain
- Sudden weakness
- Shortness of breath
