• Introduction
• What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)?
• Is this a serious condition?
• What are some of the symptoms of an AAA?
• What causes an AAA?
• Treatments of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• How do doctors treat an AAA?
• What is an open surgical repair?
• What is an endovascular repair?
• About the Zenith Flex AAA Endovascular Graft
• What is the Zenith Flex AAA Endovascular Graft?
• What results have been seen with the Zenith AAA Endovascular Graft?
• How is the graft implanted?
• After the Endovascular Procedure
• Why is follow-up important?
• What follow-up should I expect?
• What if I need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?
• What should I do with my Patient I.D. Card?
• Where can I find more information?
• Glossary
• Return Home

Glossary

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): a bulge that occurs in the part of the aorta that passes through the abdomen (stomach area). The bulge (enlarging and thinning) of the aorta is due to a weakening in the arterial wall.

Aorta: the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Aneurysm: a bulge or ballooning (enlarging and thinning) of a weakened area of a blood vessel.

Angiography/Angiogram: an X-ray method that uses contrast (dye) injected into the bloodstream to see blood flow through blood vessels. This type of image is called an angiogram.

Contrast (dye): a liquid dye injected into the bloodstream to show blood vessels under X-ray or CT scan.

CT Scan: a series of computerized X-rays that form a picture of your aneurysm. Formerly known as a CAT scan.

Endoleak: blood flow into the abdominal aortic aneurysm after placement of an endovascular graft.

Endovascular: inside or within a blood vessel.

Endovascular Graft: a graft placed inside a diseased vessel without the use of open surgical techniques. The graft makes a new path through which the blood flows.

Endovascular Repair: placement of an endovascular graft to seal off (exclude) an aneurysm. Instead of making a large incision in the abdomen, the doctor makes a small cut near each hip (near the crease between the abdomen and thigh) to get to the femoral arteries (blood vessels). Through these small cuts, a graft (fabric tube) is inserted through the femoral arteries. The graft makes a new path through which the blood flows.

Femoral Arteries: two blood vessels (one in each leg) that carry blood to the thigh region of each leg. Doctors can use the femoral arteries as a path to reach the iliac arteries and the aorta.

Iliac Arteries: the two large blood vessels that connect the lower end of the aorta to the femoral arteries in each leg.

Iliac Leg(s): the parts of the graft that extend from the main body (in the aorta) to the iliac arteries.

Main Body: the part of the graft that is placed in the aorta.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): a way of creating detailed pictures of the body. The MRI scanner uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create the pictures.

Occlusion: blockage of a blood vessel.

Open Surgical Repair: a type of surgery performed to repair an aneurysm. To reach the aneurysm, a doctor makes a cut through the abdomen or the side of the patient. The doctor repairs the aorta by replacing the aneurysm section with a fabric tube called a “graft.” The graft is sewn into place and acts as a replacement blood vessel.

Renal Arteries: two blood vessels attached to the aorta that carry blood to the kidneys.

Rupture: a tear in the blood vessel wall that causes serious internal bleeding.

Sheath: a long plastic tube that contains the Zenith Flex AAA Endovascular Graft. The sheath is advanced inside the blood vessel to the aneurysm site, and the graft is positioned in place.

Stents: metal parts of the endovascular graft that provide support and hold it in place.

Ultrasound: a way to create pictures of parts of the body using high frequency sound waves.

Vascular: composed of, or pertaining to the vessels that convey blood.

Zenith Flex AAA Endovascular Graft with the H&L-B One-Shot Introduction System: A device placed within an aneurysm to seal off the aneurysm. The graft is made of polyester graft material like that used in open surgical repair. Standard surgical suture is used to sew the graft material to a frame of stainless steel stents. These self-expanding stents provide support. The graft has three parts: a “main body” and two “legs.” The main body is positioned in the aorta. The legs are positioned in the iliac arteries and connect to the main body. The graft thus extends from the aorta below the renal arteries leading to the kidneys into both iliac arteries. The Zenith Flex AAA Endovascular Graft is placed within the aneurysm using the H&L-B One-Shot Introduction System.