What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is an enlargement of the lower part of the aorta that extends through the abdominal area (at times, the upper portion of the aorta in the chest can be enlarged). The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Since arteries are elastic and are filled with blood under high pressure, the wall of the artery may become weakened and distended like a balloon. The analogy of a bubble in a garden hose would be appropriate in describing an aneurysm. Aneurysms are usually discovered before they produce symptoms, such as back pain, but like the weakened hose, they may rupture if they become too large. Since a ruptured aneurysm is extremely dangerous, causing life-threatening bleeding, aneurysms are best corrected by an operation before this happens.
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Aneurysm of the abdominal aorta |
What are some predisposing factors for abdominal aneurysms?
- Arteriosclerosis (also called atherosclerosis). This occurs when the normal lining of the arteries deteriorates, the walls of the arteries thicken, and deposits of fat and plaque block the flow of blood through the arteries.
- High blood pressure (hypertension). This speeds up damage to blood vessel walls.
- Disease, such as diabetes, high cholesterol.
- Injury.
- Infection.
- Congenital defects, such as an inherited weakness in the blood vessel wall, example Marfan's syndrome.
- Heredity.
- Smoking.
What are some different types of aneurysms?
- Abdominal aneurysm -- in an artery in the abdomen (mid-section)
- Thoracic aneurysm -- in an artery in the chest area
- Cerebral aneurysm-- in an artery in the brain (usually treated by neurosurgeons)
- Peripheral aneurysm-- in the large arteries that run down the legs and behind the knees, and occasionally arms
Most aneurysms occur in the abdomen. Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur most frequently in people over age 60 and most commonly at a point in the aorta just below the level of the kidneys. Men are more commonly affected by aneurysms than women.
What are the symptoms of abdominal aneurysms?
Most people are unaware that they have an aneurysm because in most cases, there are no symptoms. However, as aneurysms grow, symptoms may include:
- Pulsating enlargement or tender mass felt by a physician when performing a physical examination
- Pain in the back, abdomen, or groin that may be prolonged and not relieved with position change or pain medication
A ruptured aneurysm usually produces sudden, severe pain and other symptoms such as loss of consciousness or shock, depending on the location of the aneurysm and the amount of bleeding.
A ruptured aneurysm requires emergency treatment.