Endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

Information for patients leaving hospital

This information is designed to help answer any questions you might have now, and help you know what to expect after your operation and in the first few weeks after you return home. Please feel free to ask any of your nurses or doctors if you have questions whilst in hospital.

You can find further information regarding vascular illnesses at on the Circulation Foundation website (opens in a new tab).

Should you have any concerns after your discharge please contact our vascular nurse specialists on 01223 596382.

What happened during the operation?

Your surgeon will have explained what your operation involved before and after your operation, and you should have been provided with written information from your consent form.

Briefly, you have had the aneurysmal (dilated) section of your aorta (the large blood vessel carrying blood from your heart to your body) lined with a vascular stent graft in such a way as to exclude the aneurysm from the circulation to take away the risk of rupture.

During the operation, an incision (cut) was made in one or both of your groins to allow the stent to be passed up the femoral artery to the aorta. Once the endovascular graft is correctly in place it is released from the delivery system. This expands inside your aorta to the same diameter of your aorta. This seals off the aneurysm and creates a new arterial wall.

The delivery device is then removed and your incisions are stitched closed.

Will I need to have the stitches removed?

For this operation, typically the stitches used are all buried and dissolvable. Skin glue is used to close the outer edges of the wound. The glue will fall away on its own within 2-3 weeks. Do not pick it. If a different method of closure has been used, your surgeon will discuss this with you.

Do I need to do anything to the wound dressing?

It is common for these types of wounds to ooze a little for a few days. If your wound is still oozing a little when you go home, do not worry - the ward will arrange for a nurse to continue to dress your wound. We will also keep an eye on it when you return to the outpatient clinic.

When can I return to my normal activities?

In general, you will be able to resume most activities within a few days of discharge. however listen to your body, and if something is causing pain then defer this activity for a bit longer

• Exercise and mobility:

Try taking a short walk at least once a day and keep as mobile as you can by undertaking gentle activities around the house. This will help your recovery and your general health. Gradually build up the distance you can walk daily

• Strenuous activities:

You should avoid strenuous activities for about four to six weeks. We suggest you can resume sex after about six weeks, or when you feel comfortable to do so.

• Driving:

You should avoid driving for about four to six weeks. For your safety, make sure you can safely carry out an emergency stop before you resume driving again.

• Returning to work or study:

Please ask your doctor when they think it will be safe for you to return to your work/study. It will depend on what you do, how fast you are recovering and your general health.

I am not sure about medicines after I leave the hospital…

Please continue taking your usual medications unless you have been told otherwise.

You might have been given the following medicines to take after you leave hospital:

• Antibiotics:

These are used to prevent or treat infection. It is always very important that you complete the course of antibiotics. If you have problems taking them for any reason, contact your GP who can advise.

• Anti-platelet agents (aspirin/clopidogrel)/cholesterol lowering tablets (statins):

These might have been prescribed for you by your hospital doctor or your GP. You might have started them while you were staying in hospital or after you left. They can help protect your arteries and reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes. You should take them for as long as your doctor tells you, which can be for the rest of your life. If you have problems taking them, for example side effects, please contact your GP who can offer you advice and maybe some alternatives.

• Painkillers:

If we have given you some stronger painkillers to take home with you, please take them as directed. Most patients find they can stop taking them soon after leaving hospital - maybe changing to 'over the counter' tablets. If you are worried, please contact your GP for advice and help.

I am feeling constipated, what can I do?

A common side effect of stronger opiate based prescription painkillers is constipation. If you can, try to swap to less strong ones as soon as you can.

To avoid becoming constipated, try to drink plenty of water, and eat as much fibre as you can, especially fruit and vegetables. It can also help to keep active.

All of these will be good for your recovery and general health. If this does not help your constipation, please contact your GP for advice and help.

How about washing?

You may shower with the glue-based dressing as this is waterproof. Pat the area dry afterwards and if necessary reapply a fabric dressing. Avoid soaking the wounds (bath) and do not scrub them. Most wounds are adequately healed after 2 weeks to resume taking baths.

I feel very tired after the surgery, should I be worried?

This is your body’s way of recovering; you have had a major operation, which is stressful for your body. It will probably take one to three weeks before you feel as well as you did before this surgery. Rest when you feel tired.

Why do I need to return to your outpatient clinic?

You will have one appointment at approximately six to eight weeks after your surgery to check that you have recovered from your surgery. You will have a CT scan at 3 months following your surgery and then regular outpatient appointments to monitor the graft by ultrasound scan which would typically occur on an annual basis for the rest of your life.

What should I look out for after I return home?

If your leg suddenly becomes painful, goes white or feels cold, please come to the emergency department (A&E/casualty) at Addenbrooke’s immediately. We can assess you straight away in case we need to give you some additional treatment. This is the same for all patients who have had a graft (that is those with vein or synthetic grafts).

If your wound becomes painful, red or inflamed, looking as though it may have an infection, you should make an appointment with your GP.

In general, if you have any concerns, please contact our vascular nurse specialists on 01223 596382 who will be able to advise you and if necessary, arrange for you to be reviewed by your consultant.

Why have you told me to stop smoking?

Smoking is very bad for the health of your blood vessels. It damages the arterial lining, which allows the build-up of plaque that causes blockages, and leads to weakening of the arterial wall resulting in aneurysm formation.

Giving up smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.

I am struggling to give up smoking; where can I get some help?

There are many more ways in which you can be helped to stop smoking. For example, there are new medications and other new ways of helping you. Please do not think you are on your own.

See the end of this information for useful contact numbers and your GP practice is a very good place to start.

Contacts for help to stop smoking:

• Quit smoking - Better Health - NHS (opens in a new tab)
• Healthy you Cambridgeshire (opens in a new tab)

My Chart

We would encourage you to sign up for MyChart. This is the electronic patient portal at Cambridge University Hospitals that enables patients to securely access parts of their health record held within the hospital’s electronic patient record system (Epic). It is available via your home computer or mobile device

More information is available on our website: MyChart