The new procedure repairs the aneurysm within the aorta. A small incision is made and a tube containing the endograft is guided by X-Ray through the artery to the aneurysm where it deploys the endograft, which is held in place with tiny hooks. More than half of the patients with aneurysms are eligible for this new procedure. A diminishing number will still require the conventional surgery. O'Donnell said the key issues for the patients are minimal pain and discomfort, and being able to go home quickly.
Most patients undergoing the new procedure go home in two days.
O'Donnell explained the downside to the new procedure is the possibility of the endograft shifting or leaking. We follow up on them very closely. One in five people will have some kind of leak, that does not require treatment and a small percentage will need to have the leak sealed, which would not require an overnight stay in the hospital. He predicts that within five years 80 percent of all aneurysms will be repaired using a similar technique. It's very exciting.