Endovascular Surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that takes place within a blood vessel. This surgery is mainly used to treat two different conditions, aneurysms in blood vessels and narrowing of blood vessels. Both of these are treated in similar ways. A surgeon will insert a catheter, which is a long, hollow tube, into an artery. In most cases, the femoral artery in the groin is used. By using X-Ray imaging, the surgeon will navigate the catheter to the blood vessel of interest.
Once the blood vessel is reached, the procedure varies for aneurysms and narrowings. To repair an aneurysm, a hollow tube will be pushed up the catheter. This tube, called a graft, will be placed in the blood vessel. Blood will then flow through the tube and not through the aneurysm, which will relieve the pressure in the vessel reducing the chances of the blood vessel rupturing. After blood flow is constant and steady, the procedure is over. For repairing of a narrowing of a blood vessel, the procedure is similar. A balloon will be inserted through the catheter into the vessel. This will expand, and cause the vessel to expand. Then, a stent is placed inside the vessel and the balloon in deflated. The stent holds the vessel open, and allows normal blood flow.
What does this all mean??? Modern endovascular procedures have replaceprocedures that were once more dangerous. Before minimally invasive endovascular surgery, to repair a blood vessel was an open surgery. A large incision was made on the chest, and a surgeon would have to directly access a blood vessel. This resulted in having to stay 7 to 10 days in the hospital, and having a 3 month recovery period. But, with today's new techniques, the same procedure is done under local anesthetic and the patient can often go home the same day as the procedure. This has reduced risk for complications and returned people back to their lives faster, ultimately promoting better health for patients.
The video below is an interview and news report with Dr. Edwin Duncan of the East Texas Medical Center. Dr. Duncan discusses new technology in his endovascular operating room, and how these technologies provide benefits for the patient, doctor, and hospital.
The video below is an invitation to watch a live surgery that was performed in 2006. While this date has passed, this video shows first-hand video diagrams of an Endovascular procedure, and highlights the benefits of this procedure.
Once the blood vessel is reached, the procedure varies for aneurysms and narrowings. To repair an aneurysm, a hollow tube will be pushed up the catheter. This tube, called a graft, will be placed in the blood vessel. Blood will then flow through the tube and not through the aneurysm, which will relieve the pressure in the vessel reducing the chances of the blood vessel rupturing. After blood flow is constant and steady, the procedure is over. For repairing of a narrowing of a blood vessel, the procedure is similar. A balloon will be inserted through the catheter into the vessel. This will expand, and cause the vessel to expand. Then, a stent is placed inside the vessel and the balloon in deflated. The stent holds the vessel open, and allows normal blood flow.
What does this all mean???
Modern endovascular procedures have replace procedures that were once more dangerous. Before minimally invasive endovascular surgery, to repair a blood vessel was an open surgery. A large incision was made on the chest, and a surgeon would have to directly access a blood vessel. This resulted in having to stay 7 to 10 days in the hospital, and having a 3 month recovery period. But, with today's new techniques, the same procedure is done under local anesthetic and the patient can often go home the same day as the procedure. This has reduced risk for complications and returned people back to their lives faster, ultimately promoting better health for patients.
The video below is an interview and news report with Dr. Edwin Duncan of the East Texas Medical Center. Dr. Duncan discusses new technology in his endovascular operating room, and how these technologies provide benefits for the patient, doctor, and hospital.
The video below is an invitation to watch a live surgery that was performed in 2006. While this date has passed, this video shows first-hand video diagrams of an Endovascular procedure, and highlights the benefits of this procedure.