An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA, so called triple-A) is a localized bulging, result of an aortic wall weakness. The aorta is the main blood vessel (~2cm diameter) that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Most people are unaware that they have an aneurysm because in most cases, there are no symptoms. Most of the times an aortic aneurysm will be discovered incidentally by X-ray, computed tomography scan (CT scan), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that is being done for other conditions.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is often discovered incidentally during an imaging study done for other reasons.
Sometimes it can be felt as a pulsatile mass during a routine physical exam by your doctor.
If your doctor thinks you might have an aortic aneurysm, you will likely have a medical history and physical exam.
You will then have further imaging tests to locate the aneurysm and estimate its size:
Treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is essential to reduce the risk of complications, mainly the risk of a rupture that can be lethal.
The treatment depends on its size and rate of expansion, its location and shape, the symptoms and your overall physical condition.
It can be watchful waiting with medical treatment, endovascular minimally invasive repair or open surgical repair.
Dr. Efthymios (Makis) Avgerinos is a Vascular Surgeon, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in USA.
Efthymios D. Avgerinos, MD, PhD, FEBVS
Associate Professor of Surgery
Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center Pennsylvania, USA
E-mail: info@vascularhealth.gr
