The aorta is the largest vessel in your body and carries the blood away from your heart to the rest of your organs. A thoracic aneurysm occurs if the arterial wall below your rib cage weakens and develops a bulge, meaning blood is flowing into the weakened area.
The TEVAR procedure involves the placement of a covered stent (a metal mesh tube with a layer of fabric) into the weakened area of the artery. This provides a route for the blood to flow without pooling in the bulge.
If the thoracic aneurysm was caused by trauma, such as if the patient was in an accident, TEVAR is a way to rapidly cover the injured area, controlling bleeding and preventing death.
Although surgical treatments for thoracic aortic aneurysms are available, surgery has a significantly higher risk of serious complications and death.
In most cases, the patient is given an epidural and a local anaesthetic for the procedure, although in some cases the patient is given a general anaesthetic.
The interventional radiologist will make a small cut in an artery at the top of your legs and will insert a sheath (a short tube to maintain safe access to the vessels). Then, the interventional radiologist will insert guidewires and catheters (thin flexible tubes) and direct them to the affected area under fluoroscopy. A contrast medium (dye) will be injected into the thoracic aorta so that the area clearly shows up under imaging for maximum accuracy. To place the stent, the interventional radiologist will insert it over a guidewire and move it to the correct location, where it will expand to seal the aneurysm or cover any leaks in the wall of the vessel.
After the procedure, your vital signs will be monitored and you will stay in hospital for 2-3 days. You may experience bruising and pain, though this can be treated with standard painkillers. Moving around once you are able to do so is encouraged. You will need to have the stent regularly checked using CT or ultrasound to ensure that the stent is in good condition and to avoid long-term problems.
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