Peter Munk Cardiac Centre

Building a better endograft

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are among the leading causes of death in Canada. The danger is heightened by the fact that these aneurysms (an outward expansion or ballooning of the blood vessel) in the abdominal aorta (the large blood vessel supplying blood to the abdomen, pelvis and legs) rarely show any symptoms before they rupture. As a result, the person is often unaware of the problem until it is too late.

Advances at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre are improving treatment options for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. A new techinque involves placing a stent graft inside the aneurysm. This approach – endovascular aortic aneurysm repair – is done through a small (5 to 10-cm long) incision in the groin, and the patient is usually sent home within two days.

This endovascular approach has become the preferred method of treatment for the vast majority of patients. “Here at the Centre, we have carried out approximately 400 endovascular aneurysm repairs, with a mortality rate of less than 0.5%,” notes Dr. Barry Rubin, Head, Division of Vascular Surgery.

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