AAA Flashcards
Treatment of AAA can be broadly split into what categories?
Surgical treatment is reserved for situations that lead to an increased risk of rupture of the AAA. what are the clinical indications for it?
one of the following:
- aneurysm size > 5.5cm
- aneurysm size > 4cm and grown more than 0.5cm in 6 months (or 1cm in a year)
- symptomatic presentation
why is surgery only offered to patients who meet the indications for surgery?
- AAAs below 5.5 cm are unlikely to rupture
- risk of surgery vs risk of rupture weighed up. (when greater than 5cm, risk of surgery is less than risk of rupture generally)
what two surgical options are available for AAAs and which is first line?
- open aortic repair (first line)
- Endovascular Aneurysm repair (EVAR)
is AAA screened for in the UK?
yes - all men aged 65 and over are invited to an AAA screen.
a patient has an AAA sized 4.7cm. How often should they be monitored?
every 3 months
3 - 4.4 cm = annually (small)
4.5 - 5.4 cm = 3 monthly (medium)
>5.5cm = surgery (large)
A 65-year old man attends his abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) screening.
The diameter of his abdominal aorta is 2.5cm.
How should this patient be managed?
discharged. a patient with AAA under 3cm is unlikely to have it rupture in their lifetime.
what’s the second most common site for an aneurysm after AAAs?
Popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA)
what’s the mortality for a ruptured AAA?
roughly 80%
what should be done with haemodynamically unstable patients with a suspected AAA?
immediate transfer to theatres. surgical repair should not be delayed waiting for imaging to confirm the diagnosis
what’s the annual risk of rupture for a 5.5cm AAA?
25%
which segment of the aorta does AAA usually occur?
infrarenal
