| Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm | |
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An aneurysm is a swelling in an artery caused by degeneration of the arterial wall. Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) typically occur in the aorta below the level of the kidney or renal arteries in the abdomen. The overall incidence of AAA's in the United States is 3% to 4% of the general population over the age of 55. There are 200,000 to 300,00 new cases of AAA's discovered each year. Rupture of a AAA causes 15,000 to 20,000 deaths in the United States each year. It is important to realize that AAA's tend to run in families. One of the best screening tests for AAA's is a color flow duplex ultrasound. This is a noninvasive, simple, and relatively inexpensive examination which is offered in the Vascular Lab located at the Libbie Avenue and Meadowbridge Road locations at Virginia Surgical Associates. We have eight well trained vascular technologists who perform close to 10,000 vascular examinations each year. Most AAA's can be safely followed until they reach 4.5 cm. to 5.0 cm. in size. Options for repairing the aneurysm include open surgical repair, and endovascular aneurysm repair, also known as EVAR. Typically, 60% to 70% of infrarenal AAA's can be repaired with less invasive EVAR. Determining whether or not a AAA can be repaired with an EVAR requires CT angiogram and an arteriogram with a calibrated catheter. There are several links available to you to further understand AAA's and treatment options. The vascular surgeons at Virginia Surgical Associates have over 100 years of combined experience in aneurysm repair. We would be happy to answer any questions about AAA's during a consultation. For more indepth information regarding this disorder, please visit the following websites: http://www.goremedical.com/excluder/patient/us_patient http://www.medtronic.com/your-health/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm/index.htm http://www.cookmedical.com/zenith_patient_guides/flex_patient/info.html |
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