Aortic Aneurysm

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Aortic Aneurysm Rupture

  • often abdominal
    • E.g. abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

Risk Factors

  • male sex
  • advancing age
  • hypertension
  • tobacco smoking
  • chronic obstructive airways disease
  • infection
    • e.g. salmonella
  • occlusive arterial disease

Examination

  • expansile mass in umbilical region
  • infra-renal / supra-renal
    • can get above it if infra-renal
  • tender
  • auscultation
    • bruit

Complications

  • rupture
  • distal emboli
  • severe back pain
  • thrombosis leading to distal ischaemia

Treatment

  • safe to watch whilst
    • <5.5 cm ♂
    • <5 cm ♀
  • mortality of elective repair 5-10%
  • open repair
  • stent repair
    • if 1 inch between aneurysm and renal arteries and normal iliac arteries
    • applies to 40% patients
    • 10% risk of leakage
    • need scan every 3 months
 

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