Open Chest or Open Abdomen Repair For Aortic Aneurysm – How Does the Procedure Take Place?

Introduction

Knowing beforehand what is going to happen in a major procedure readies you for it. It’s also obvious that a person about to undergo a major surgery will want to know what happens and what the recovery is like. According to cardiologists in Darbhanga (some of the top cardiologists in India), an aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta, which is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Arteries usually have strong, thick walls as blood flows under pressure through them. But sometimes, certain illnesses or problems with your genes make them weak. The force of your blood constantly pushing against those weakened walls can make them swell. The result is a balloon-like bulge, called an aneurysm. If it grows too large and bursts, it can become an emergency.

Open Chest or Open Abdomen Repair Surgery

This is the most common and usual way an aortic aneurysm is treated, although it is also the most invasive. Heart specialists in Darbhanga, who perform such surgeries at the top cardiac surgery hospital in Darbhanga, say that the main motive of the surgery is to replace the weakened section of the aorta with a tube, or graft, made of a special fabric. This is how the procedure will likely go:

• First, the patient is sedated using general anaesthesia. They won’t be awake during the surgery.
• The cardiac surgeon will then make a cut either in the belly or chest, depending on where the aneurysm is located.
• The surgeon will then restrict blood flow above and below the aneurysm using clamps. If the aneurysm is located just above the heart, a heart-lung machine will be deployed to keep the patient breathing.
• The surgeon will then remove the section of the aorta that is bulging and replace it with the fabric graft. The graft will allow blood to flow through the aorta without making it swell.
• Finally, the clamps will be removed and blood will start flowing again.

The whole procedure takes somewhere from 2 to 6 hours. The patient will have to stay in the hospital for up to a week to recover. They can resume their usual activities in about a month.

Availability

If you live in or around Bihar or Jharkhand, and require heart surgery or treatment for heart disease, you can visit the super-specialty hospital in Darbhanga. The hospital is located on VIP Road, Allalpatti in Darbhanga. You can also visit the hospital’s website to book an appointment.