Most adults diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta can have repair done with a procedure called a balloon angioplasty, performed during cardiac catheterization, rather than open surgery. During the procedure, a cardiologist threads a balloon-tipped catheter through a blood vessel to your aorta, where the balloon inflates to widen the artery. To help keep the aorta open, the cardiologist may also put a tiny mesh tube called a stent in place.
Following an angioplasty, you will be observed in a recovery room for several hours, and you may stay in the hospital overnight. After you return home, you can typically resume regular activities within about a week.
For patients who are not candidates for balloon angioplasty, open surgery is another option. The surgeon will remove the narrowed portion of your aorta and reconstruct it or replace it with a patch. Patients who have open surgery usually stay in the intensive care unit for a few days before going to a regular hospital room. Most patients go home from the hospital within about a week.
