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(Left to right) Jonathan Boyle and Stanley Rentcome with a stent similar to that used in the operation

Surgeons at Addenbrooke's Hospital have saved a man's life by pioneering surgery to repair an aneurysm in his chest. The surgery took place during the early hours of 4 December and the patient, 80-year-old Stanley Rentcome from Lakenheath, is doing well.

The patient had suffered a ruptured thoracic (chest) aortic aneurysm, which meant that there was a leak from an enlarged, weakened area of the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Aneurysms in these regions can rupture once they reach a certain size causing life-threatening bleeding. Treatment is usually by major, and risky, surgery.

Instead of using the conventional method of opening up the patient's chest to repair the diseased section of aorta and replacing it with a graft, in this case vascular surgeons made a cut in the patient's groin and were guided by x-ray to slide a stent-graft directly into the aorta to seal the leak. This was the first time the procedure had been performed as an emergency in the eastern region, although the vascular surgery team had previously carried it out on three patients as planned surgery, with the help of surgeons from Papworth Hospital.

(Left to right) Jonathan Boyle and Stanley Rentcome

Mr Jonathan Boyle, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, who led the procedure, said: "This is a major advance in the treatment of this condition which in the past often proved fatal. It is much less risky, less traumatic and the patients recover more quickly without the need for prolonged intensive care treatment and therefore the technique is more cost-effective for the hospital. It is hoped that in the future we will be able to treat more patients whom would not otherwise survive conventional surgery."

Mr Kevin Varty, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, added: “We are keen to develop this service further in conjunction with the surgeons at Papworth.”

Further information

• Aneurysms may occur anywhere in the body, but they are most common on the largest artery in the body, the aorta, and on the small circle of arteries underneath the base of the brain called the Circle of Willis.

• Aneurysms may affect people of any age and both sexes, although they are more common in men, people with high blood pressure and those over 65.

• Aortic aneurysms tend to run in families.

• Aneurysms are fatal if they burst.

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