AAA EVAR Stent Question

[NeilCurry]

I am not a medic so please forgive any mistakes or misunderstanding in the following. I have researched online and also been to a dive physician but am not clear yet on my situation so am hoping for some guidance / input from the forum.

I had 3 stents placed in late June due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm ( AAA ) issue. There is no underlying CV issue and my recovery has been good ( going to gym 3 times a week and exercising at average 7-8 METS for 45 minutes each time with no issue ).

I am Asia based and do warm water recreational dives avoiding anything too deep or strenuous as I tend to burn through air anyway.

The articles or posts about stents tend to focus on concommitant CV disease or open chest surgery rather than EVAR ( less invasive / stressful on body I presume ) and recommendations centre around the 13 MET peak performance measure but do not mention whether there should be a waiting time associated with the stent placement itself ( I did see reference to waiting 6 months in case of restenosis but given my underlying issue is not blockage related I presume this is not relevant to AAA ? ).

My basic question is if I am able to achieve the 13 METS target with no CV issues can I resume diving or should I wait a certain time regardless to ensure the stents are well established and, if so, how long would this be ... 3 month, 6 months, longer ?

Sorry for long post and any input greatly appreciated.

Neil

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Neil,

I'm linking a manufacturer's website below. What follows should not be interpreted as a clearance to dive for you as an individual:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Therapy - Endovascular Stent Grafting

In general, someone who is otherwise healthy should be able to return to full activity 4-6 weeks after repair according to Medtronic. However, this is individual. Your best source of information will be your consulting vascular specialist.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[NeilCurry]

DDM,

Thanks for the link. From your perspective is there anything about diving that would go against it being considered “normal” activity per the manufacturers definition ? For example the impact of pressure on the body at depths ?

I am keen to resume diving so the 4-6 week wait period sounds great to me but I also want to be considerate of any risks or concerns as a result of the surgery as it relates specifically to diving.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Neil,

You're most welcome.

The immersion associated with diving causes a redistribution of fluid in the vascular system and so can result in some hypertension, especially in those predisposed to it. That hypertension is unlikely to be higher than the pressure experienced in exercising to 13 mets though. The pressure under water is evenly distributed on and in the body so depth/pressure itself is unlikely to affect the area. Again, your consultant is in the best position to answer specific questions about you returning to full activity yourself. @Dr. Doug Ebersole , please jump in if you have anything to add. For Neil, Dr. Ebersole is an interventional cardiologist and CCR diver/instructor.

Best regards,
DDM