Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Question 1

what is an aneurysm

Answer 1

an dilation of blood vessel by more than 50 percent

Question 2

What are the risk factors

Answer 2

male
age smoking
cardiac disease 
hypertension
diabetes
hypercholesterolaemia

Question 3

what increase risk of rupture

Answer 3

smoking

hypertension

Question 4

What are the complications

Answer 4

rupture
thrombosis and embolism
fistulae
pressure on other structures

Question 5

What would be the signs and symptons of a rupture

Answer 5

sever sudden pain radiates to the back and groin
can be continuous or 'colicky'
collapse
signs of shock
pulsatile, expansible mass- tender
transmitted pulse

Question 6

What are the two inverstigations you can do

Answer 6

ultrasound and ct scane

Question 7

which is the best diagnostic inverstigation

Answer 7

CT scan

ultrasound can only tell you in aneurysm present not if it has rupture- CT tells you it has ruptured!

Question 8

When can an elective surgery be carried out

Answer 8

when aneurysm is 5.5cm or more

or expands at a rate of more than half a cm in 6 months/ 1cm per year

Question 9

What is the difference between EVAR and open surgery

Answer 9

EVAR lower mortality but only short term

Open long term but higher mortality