Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Overview
Learn About Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) occurs when an area of the aorta in the abdomen becomes very large or balloons out.
Aneurysm - aortic; AAA
The exact cause of an aneurysm is unknown. It occurs due to weakness in the wall of the artery. Factors that can increase your risk of having this problem include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Male sex
- Genetic factors
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is most often seen in males over age 60 who have one or more risk factors. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it is to break open or tear. This can be life threatening.
Aneurysms can develop slowly over many years, often with no symptoms. Symptoms may come on quickly if the aneurysm expands rapidly, tears open or leaks blood within the wall of the vessel (aortic dissection).
Symptoms of rupture include:
- Pain in the abdomen or back. The pain may be severe, sudden, persistent, or constant. It may spread to the groin, buttocks, or legs.
- Passing out.
- Clammy skin.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Rapid heart rate.
- Shock.
If you have bleeding inside your body from an aortic aneurysm, you will need surgery right away.
If the aneurysm is small and there are no symptoms:
- Surgery is rarely done.
- You and your provider must decide if the risk of having surgery is smaller than the risk of bleeding if you do not have surgery.
- Your provider will want to check the size of the aneurysm with ultrasound tests. The recommended frequency depends on the size of your aneurysm. Ask your provider what is best for you.
Most of the time, surgery is done if the aneurysm is bigger than 2 inches (5 centimeters) across or growing quickly. The goal is to do surgery before complications develop.
There are two types of surgery:
- Open repair - A large cut is made in your abdomen. The abnormal vessel is replaced with a graft made of man-made material.
- Endovascular stent grafting - This procedure can be done without making a large cut in your abdomen, so you may recover more quickly. This may be a safer approach if you have certain other medical problems or are an older adult. Endovascular repair can sometimes be done for a leaking or bleeding aneurysm.
Richard Cambria is a Vascular Surgeon in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Cambria and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). His top areas of expertise are Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Carotid Artery Disease, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), Carotid Artery Surgery, and Aneurysm Repair.
Atrius Health Inc
Christopher Kwolek is a Vascular Surgeon and a General Surgeon in Needham, Massachusetts. Dr. Kwolek and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). His top areas of expertise are Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Carotid Artery Disease, Carotid Artery Surgery, and Stent Placement.
Steward Medical Group Inc
Scott Prushik is a General Surgeon and a Vascular Surgeon in Brighton, Massachusetts. Dr. Prushik and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). His top areas of expertise are Carotid Artery Disease, Arterial Embolism, Peripheral Artery Disease, Arterial Insufficiency, and Carotid Artery Surgery.
The outcome is often good if you have surgery to repair the aneurysm before it ruptures.
When an abdominal aortic aneurysm begins to tear or ruptures, it is a medical emergency. Only about 1 in 5 people survive a ruptured abdominal aneurysm.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 or the local emergency number if you have pain in your belly or back that is very bad or does not go away.
To reduce the risk of aneurysms:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise, stop smoking (if you smoke), and reduce stress.
- If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, take your medicines as your provider has told you.
People over age 65 who have ever smoked should have a screening ultrasound done once.
Summary: Retrospective clinical case studies in recent years have shown that most cases of lung cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are detected at the same time and that there is a wide variation in the prevalence of AAA in patients with primary lung cancer reported in the literature, with some papers suggesting as high as 11%, suggesting that there may be a relationship between the prevalence of t...
Summary: The Zenith® Fenestrated+ Endovascular Graft Clinical Study will assess the safety and effectiveness of the Zenith® Fenestrated+ Endovascular Graft (ZFEN+) in combination with the BeGraft Balloon-Expandable FEVAR Bridging Stent Graft System (BeGraft) and Unibody2 for the treatment of patients with aortic aneurysms involving one or more of the major visceral arteries.
Published Date: August 22, 2023
Published By: Mary C. Mancini, MD, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Shreveport, LA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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