Possible Complications

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

En Español

Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

(Minimally Invasive Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; EVAR)

by Amy Scholten, MPH

Definition

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) is a procedure to put a stent in the abdominal aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The abdominal aorta is below the chest and above the waist. It carries blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Reasons for Procedure

EVAR is often done to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). An AAA is when the walls of the aorta weaken and bulge in one area. This procedure helps strengthen the area.

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

Excess bleeding
Infection
Problems from anesthesia
Damage to other organs or structures
Leaking of blood at the graft
Heart attack
Blood clots

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

Smoking
Drinking alcohol
Chronic diseases such as diabetes or obesity

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

The care team may meet with you to talk about:

Anesthesia options
Any allergies you may have
Current medicines, herbs, and supplements that you take and whether you need to stop taking them before surgery
Fasting before surgery, such as avoiding food or drink after midnight the night before
Whether you need a ride to and from the procedure
Tests that will need to be done before surgery

Anesthesia

The doctor may give:

General anesthesia —you will be asleep
Local anesthesia —the area will be numbed

Description of the Procedure

Small incisions will be made in both sides of the groin. Thin tubes will be inserted into the blood vessels. The tubes will be threaded up toward the aneurysm. Contrast dye will be injected through the tubes. The dye will help the doctor see the area better. A stent graft will be guided to the site. The graft will be placed into the weakened area. It will extend into both pelvic arteries. X-rays will be used to guide each step. Once the graft is in place, the tubes will be removed. The incisions will be closed. Bandages will be placed over the sites.

How Long Will It Take?

About 2 to 3 hours

Will It Hurt?

There will be some discomfort from the groin incisions. Medicine will help.

Average Hospital Stay

The usual length of stay is 1 to 2 days. If you have problems, you may need to stay longer..

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

After the procedure, the staff may:

Give you pain medicine
Have you gradually get up and move around

During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to lower your risk of infection such as:

Washing their hands
Wearing gloves or masks
Keeping your incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to lower your risk of infection such as:

Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and staff to do the same
Reminding staff to wear gloves or masks
Not letting others touch your incisions

At Home

Recovery takes about 2 to 4 weeks.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

Redness, swelling, excess bleeding, or discharge from the incision
Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
New belly pain, back pain, or loose stools
Any change of color or sensation in your legs or feet
Problems passing urine
Lasting nausea or vomiting
Confusion, lasting sadness, or tiredness
Cough

Call for medical help or go to the emergency room right away if you have:

Problems breathing
Chest pain

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

RESOURCES:

American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org

Society for Vascular Surgery
https://vascular.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://www.heartandstroke.ca

University of Ottawa Heart Institute
https://www.ottawaheart.ca

References:

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-aaa. Accessed July 20, 2021.

Abdul Jabbar A, Chanda A, et al. Percutaneous endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair: State-of-the art. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2020;95(4):767-782.

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Society for Vascular Surgery website. Available at: https://vascular.org/patient-resources/vascular-treatments/endovascular-repair-abdominal-aortic-aneurysms. Accessed July 21, 2021.

Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16962-endovascular-repair-of-thoracic-aortic-aneurysms. Accessed July 21, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael J. Fucci, DO, FACC
Last Updated: 7/21/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.