Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Question 1

risk factors of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Answer 1

gender - male 
age
peripheral vascular disease
cerebrovascular disease
family history 
smoking
hypertension 
diabetes
hypercholesterolemia  
CVS disease

Question 2

pathology of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Answer 2

medial degeneration;
regulation of elastin/collagen in aortic wall 
aneurysmal dilatation
increase in aortic wall stress
progressive dilation

Question 3

symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Answer 3

aysmptomatic - risk of rupture

symptomatic - rupture can be excluded;
pain (abdominal, back, renal)
feel crashing
collapse 
\+/- tachycardia
\+/- hypotensive 
pulsatile, expnsile mass +/- tender
transmitted pulse
peripheral pulses

Question 4

tests for investigating abdominal aortic aneurysms

Answer 4

ultrasound
CT - IV contrast

only imaging method to identify ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

Question 5

treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Answer 5

evaluation
surveillance

may be;
electric aortic aneurysm repair
endovascular aneurysm repair
open repair

Question 6

describe electric aneurysm repair

Answer 6

a prophylactic operation to reduce the risk of rupture balanced against the risk of the procedure

Question 7

describe emergency aneurysm repair

Answer 7

a therapeutic procedure balancing the expectation of death against the risk of the procedure

Question 8

describe endovascular aneurysm repair

Answer 8

exclude abdominal aortic aneurysms from inside the vessel
insert sent via peripheral artery
x-ray guided

Question 9

describe open repair

Answer 9

laparotomy