Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

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It sounds like something out of a science fiction film or a horror movie. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is a mouth full to say, but it’s a condition that we should all be aware of, because it is extremely deadly and can strike without warning.

Suzanne spoke with Dr. Robert Scott, Chairman of Surgery at the Community Hospital of Lancaster to learn exactly what this scary sounding condition is, and what we can all do to protect ourselves.

WHAT IS IT?

The Abdominal Aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It is the main blood vessel that feeds oxygenated blood to the abdomen. An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is a ballooning or weakening of this vessel. If left untreated, the aneurysm could rupture and kill. Think of a sausage shaped balloon that has a grapefruit stuck in it…that’s what the aneurysm looks like. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm affects 5-7% of the population over age 60. It also affects more men than women.

THE SILENT KILLER

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is called the silent killer because it has absolutely no symptoms until it ruptures. In fact, it is most commonly diagnosed when a patient undergoes an x-ray for something totally unrelated. Calcium builds in the walls of the aneurysm and this is what shows up in the x-ray. It usually occurs in older people, and there is an inherited predisposition to its development. Other factors that can lead to this condition include smoking, high blood pressure, trauma and infection.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

If you have a first generation relative, a mother, father, sister or brother that has had Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, you should be scanned starting at age 50-55. Ultrasound of the abdominal aorta may be used, or an MRI, CT scan-abdominal, or an angiography of the aorta. The most common form of treatment is surgery. The decision regarding whether or not to surgically treat the aneurysm is based on its size and the overall health and other medical conditions of the patient.

TREATMENT

The surgery requires making an incision from the bottom of the sternum to the bottom of the abdomen. The vessel is clamped above and below the aneurysm. The aneurysm is then opened up and a piece of synthetic vessel made of DACRON is placed into the artery. The surgery has a very high success rate but it is a major surgery that is not undertaken without a very serious evaluation of the risks.

A new procedure has been developed called an Endo-Vascular procedure for repairing aneurysm. This involves making two small incisions on either side of the groin and then guiding the synthetic vessel into place. This procedure is far less taxing on the patient who can often go home from the hospital after a day or two. However it is still not totally time tested. But for those individuals who are at high risk for rupture for whom conventional surgery is a bad risk, it is a reasonable option.