Question & Answers about Abdominal

  Aortic Aneurysms

The weakening can be caused by accumulation or build up of fatty deposits, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and traumatic injury.

In the majority of cases, aneurysms grow gradually over a period of time, increasing by an average of only two to three millimeters each year.  It can take nearly 10 to 15 years for an aneurysm to reach a size at which surgery is deemed necessary.  At this time, the aneurysm measures 5-6 cm and is 1.5 times its normal size.  When the aneurysm reaches this size, the risk of rupture increases by 20 percent per year and the one-year survival rate for patients without surgery is estimated to be 50 percent.

How do you know if you have AAA?

AAA may go undetected because there are no symptoms.  The disease is usually detected by accident – during tests, like ultrasounds, which can be easily performed in a doctor’s office.  However, as the general public becomes more aware of AAA, more proactive testing and screening are becoming increasingly common.

What symptoms are associated with AAA?

In most cases a person with AAA has no symptoms until the artery walls become severely dilated and the aneurysm has grown to a dangerous size.  At this time, a person may experience the following symptoms: Back, chest, abdominal or groin pain; cold or numb legs or buttocks; a pulsation may be notices in the abdomen; dizziness, fainting, rapid heartbeat or sudden onset of weakness.

The first sign of rupture is usually characterized by extreme pain in the lower abdomen and back.  The severe internal bleeding caused by a rupture is often fatal.

How prevalent is AAA in the United States?

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are the 13^th leading cause of death in the U.S.  Over the past forty years, the prevalence of AAA has risen three-fold.  Further, because people with the condition are typically asymptomatic, it is estimated that only 200,000 of the 1.5 million people with AAA are actually diagnosed.

Nearly 10 percent of all men over the age of 65 are likely to have some form of an aneurysm.  AAA’s most often affects white males over 55 years of age.  Rates of AAA are also twice as high for white males as for black people or white women.  Smokers die four times more often from ruptured aneurysms than non-smokers.

How do I find out if I have an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

A simple AAA screening will diagnose an abdominal aortic aneurysm.  This screening involves using an ultrasound diagnostic machine and only takes about 15 minutes.   Our practice does screenings on a regular basis and charges $20.  Insurance does not pay for screenings.

What is the new, safer approach to repairing AAA?

An Endoluminal Graft Repair (ELG) is designed to exclude the AAA from the circulation in order to prevent rupture.  This minimally invasive procedure involves small incisions in both groins.  An FDA approved graft is inserted through the arteries in the groin and placed at the site of the aneurysm.  The graft is then expanded into place within the aorta and affixed to the vessel walls above and below the aneurysm.

Are you a good candidate for an Endoluminal Graft Repair?

Anyone who is considering an ELG procedure should:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Not be pregnant
• Be sufficiently healthy to undergo an implantation procedure
• Be available to attend regularly-scheduled office visits with a doctor following the procedure
• Be fully informed about the risks and benefits of the procedure as compared to open surgical repair.

A scheduled office appointment with one of our endovascular surgeons would address any additional issues of procedure appropriateness.