Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is called aorta enlargement if its diameter is increased by 1.5 times or more. Every year there are 36-40 cases per 100,000 patients, and 200,000 new cases worldwide. Abdominal aortic aneurysm is unfortunately a progressive disease. The size increases by an average of 10% per year, and often the only manifestation of disease symptoms is the rupture of the aneurysm. The gender ratio is male/female 4/1. People with a family history, especially a first-degree relative, have a 12-fold increased risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is the 15th leading cause of death during the year, and the 10th leading cause of death among patients over 60 years of age.

Symptoms

Aneurysm of the abdominal aorta is characterized by an asymptomatic course, although symptoms can often be expressed – the presence of a pulsating, bulky formation in the abdominal cavity, pain in the abdominal cavity, which can spread to the lower back, and pain in the lower back. One of the frequent complications of the abdominal aorta is the migration of the thrombus to the lower extremities and the development of acute arterial obstruction of the lower extremities, and the most dangerous complication is the rupture of the aneurysm, which is directly related to the size of the aneurysm.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Risk Factors

Risk factors for aneurysm development are: atherosclerosis; age; gender; tobacco consumption; arterial hypertension; Genetic anamnesis.

Treatment

There are open and endovascular surgical treatment, the selection of which is made depending on the diseases, the general condition of the patient, the size, shape and location of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. During an open surgical operation, the aneurysm sac is opened and the aorta is reconstructed with an artificial prosthesis. During endovascular treatment, with an approach from the femoral arteries, implantation of a stent in an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. The purpose of surgical treatment is to prevent the development of a dangerous complication, the rupture of an aneurysm, in which case the risk of lethality is quite high and amounts to 50-80% (within 30 days of surgery and surgery).