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What You Should Know About Abdominal Aneurysms
An aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on a blood vessel wall,
usually an artery. "Some aneurysms don’t pose any immediate
danger," says Stephen Kolakowski Jr., M.D., an endovascular
surgeon at Riverview Medical Center. "But one that ruptures
can lead to serious disability and even death." An aneurysm
can appear in various places, including the groin or leg. But they
are often found in the abdomen or head.
Abdominal aneurysms primarily affect men older than age 60.
These aneurysms often form in the aorta, the body’s largest blood
vessel, and are referred to as abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA or
"triple A").
Risk factors include:
- Age.
- Family history — having a first-degree relative with history of an abdominal aneurysm may raise risk as much as 29 percent.
- Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, vascular disease, Marfan syndrome, diabetes, and syphilis.
- Smoking.
According to Dr. Kolakowski, the most commonly reported
symptom of an abdominal aneurysm is pain in the abdomen,
side, or back. Other symptoms may include a feeling of fullness,
nausea, and vomiting. Usually, however, these types of aneurysms
cause no symptoms at all. They are often found by doctors during
routine exams or in the course of treatment for something else. A
ruptured abdominal aneurysm can kill without warning — only
about 20 percent of sufferers survive.
With early surveillance and identification, AAA can be treated
one of two ways. The traditional method is an abdominal operation
to repair the aorta. However, Dr. Kolakowski notes that during
the last several years, the majority of AAAs have been treated
using an aortic stent graft via two small incisions in the groin. After
the traditional methods, patients are usually hospitalized for one
to two weeks. But with the newer stent grafts, patients routinely go
home the next day after surgery.
The key with AAA is that it be recognized early and tracked by
a vascular surgeon. If an individual has AAA and develops symptoms
of abdominal or back pain, he or she must seek emergency
medical evaluation.
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