Frank Franco experienced sudden and unbearable pain in his abdomen last June. His daughter April called 911, and an ambulance rushed him to the nearest St. Luke’s emergency room.

He was immediately transferred to St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus, where vascular surgeon Calogero DiMaggio, DO, performed life-saving surgery to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm on the verge of fully rupturing.

“The pain was excruciating,” Franco said. “I never felt pain like that before.”

Had he waited even a few minutes, he might not be here today to tell his story.

“Aortic aneurysms can expand and rupture,” he said. “When they rupture, most folks don’t make it to the hospital alive, and about 50% of those who do, don’t achieve their pre-rupture baseline lifestyle.”

An aneurysm is a bulge in an artery, explained Dr. DiMaggio, who works at St. Luke’s Vascular Center – Miners Campus location. While they can occur anywhere in the body, they are most dangerous in the aorta. The body’s largest artery, the aorta, carries blood from the heart to the pelvis.

Dr. DiMaggio performed an open procedure, repairing Franco’s 5.5-cm aneurysm with a tube graph. Franco returned home in time for the birth of his third grandchild. He continues to see Dr. DiMaggio for surveillance.

“We love Dr. DiMaggio,” Franco said. “He has a great bedside manner and is a competent surgeon.” Franco’s daughter added, “My brother and I were like two deer in headlights, but Dr. DiMaggio handled everything.”

When intact, aneurysms have no symptoms. Often, they are found by imaging for another condition. For example, a recent patient had belly pain and saw a gastroenterologist who ordered a CAT scan.

“The scan showed a rather large aneurysm,” he said. “We urgently scheduled a repair, and she is now fine.” Dr. DiMaggio performed a minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedure to mend her 5-cm aneurysm. He inserted a thin, flexible catheter through an incision in her groin. On the tip was a metal mesh tube (graft) that he placed at the aneurysm site to strengthen it and prevent rupture. She was discharged the next day.

The Society of Vascular Surgery recommends surgical repair for aneurysms larger than 5 cm in women and 5.5 cm in men, and routine screening for smaller aneurysms, ranging from every six months to three years, depending on the size and growth rate.

Atherosclerosis, a condition that develops when plaque builds up inside the arteries, causes vascular disease, including aneurysms, strokes and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Fortunately, St. Luke’s offers vascular disease screening.

“The link between the three types of vascular disease are risk factors classically associated with atherosclerosis – increased age, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and smoking being a big component of that,” he said. “Current smokers have a seven times greater likelihood of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and 90% of people with AAA have smoked or are current smokers.”

The vascular screening also looks for carotid artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD). CAD restricts blood flow to the brain, increasing stroke risk. PAD reduces circulation to the arms or legs, causing pain and other symptoms.

Schedule a Vascular Screening Today

St. Luke’s offers a $49 three-part vascular screening test that can help to determine whether you have vascular disease. The screening looks for signs of aortic aneurysms, stroke and peripheral artery, the three most serious, non-cardiac-related vascular disorders.

Early detection through screening can help prevent life-threatening conditions or long-term disabilities. The screening consists of three separate scans:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm scans look for aneurysms, which may rupture and be fatal.

• Carotid ultrasound scans for the build-up of fatty blockages, or plaque, in the carotid arteries in the neck. This condition may lead to a stroke.

• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) scan uses the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) to check for blockages, narrowing, and plaque build-up in the leg arteries. Abnormal results may indicate a high coronary artery and peripheral arterial disease risk.

Vascular screening is appropriate for individuals 65 or older or over 40 with multiple risk factors, such as:

• Family history of heart disease or stroke

• History of smoking

• High blood pressure

• Overweight

• High-stress levels

• Inactive lifestyle

• High cholesterol

• Diabetes

To schedule an appointment, call St. Luke’s Central Scheduling at 484-526-1000.