Hello, I am Dr. Brian Rubin, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery. This video will help you understand the risks and benefits of open surgical repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An aortic aneurysm is a bulging or ballooning out of the main artery in the body, called the aorta. The aorta carries artery blood from the heart, passes through the chest, and enters the abdomen.