What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Abdominal aortic aneurysm, one of the most common pathologies among aneurysms of the arterial system, is asymptomatic in a large percentage of clinical cases.
The aorta is the main trunk blood vessel of the body, therefore, a ruptured aneurysm poses a serious threat to the patient due to bleeding.
The disease may develop due to trauma, aortic infection, blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and other risk factors.
Diagnosis:
In most clinical cases, an abdominal aortic aneurysm is discovered unexpectedly, usually during a routine medical examination or during a diagnosis made for a completely different reason. The doctor will study the medical history and family history.
Provided for diagnosis:
- Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity;
- Computed tomography of the abdominal cavity;
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdominal cavity.
Sometimes it is necessary to conduct a study with contrast, in order to fully study the blood vessels.
Note that if you are male and smoke, you are at risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The main goal of abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment is to prevent aneurysm rupture.
Treatment may include:
- Observation of dynamics, frequent monitoring of health status;
- Surgical intervention.
Treatment depends on the size of the aortic aneurysm and how quickly it grows.
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