Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a pathological dilation of the aorta measuring more than 3 cm in diameter. This condition is usually asymptomatic and is often discovered incidentally. The most common symptoms are abdominal and back pain. It is diagnosed using imaging studies such as ultrasound and computed tomography (CT). Surgery is performed when the estimated risk of aortic rupture exceeds the operative risk, typically when the aneurysm measures more than 5.5 cm in men and 5 cm in women. Surgical complications include cardiac and pulmonary complications, ischemia of the vessel wall, and fistula formation. Endovascular treatment methods are generally safer but also have their own complications, such as stent occlusion and stent migration.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology