An increase of 50% or more in diameter at any level of the aortic vessel, which originates from the heart and distributes blood to our entire body, is defined as vascular dilation or aneurysm.
For example, at the abdominal level, the average aortic vessel diameter is 1.5-2 cm. is. If this diameter is 3.0 cm or more, an aortic aneurysm is mentioned.
Risk factors for aortic aneurysm are family history, male gender, age, smoking and hypertension. Hyperlipidemia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are other risk factors.
The risk of rupture of the vessel due to vasodilatation is directly proportional to the width of the vessel. The patient may not experience any clinical complaints for many years due to vasodilatation. During this period, the growth in aneurysm diameter is approximately 1.2-2 mm/year.
Patients are most often diagnosed during imaging tests performed for another reason. Ultrasound is a risk-free and low-cost tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of abdominal and leg artery dilatations. In general, the most commonly used methods today for the pre- and postoperative evaluation of aortic aneurysms are computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
There is a serious risk of death during surgery and in the first month after surgery for patients who undergo surgery due to rupture of the aortic aneurysm. It is recommended to perform screening in individuals in the risk group (especially in male patients over 65 years of age who smoke) in order to recognize and treat the disease before the event occurs.
Depending on the location and size of the aneurysm, it can be followed up medically or surgically and endovascularly. It can be treated with intravenous interventions. Today, open surgery is still the only treatment option for the enlargement of the first part of the aorta coming out of the heart. For vascular enlargements in other parts of the aorta, if the aortic vascular structure is suitable, the first treatment option is endovascular applications.
The biggest advantage of endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms is that it is less invasive and the postoperative recovery period is shorter. However, this technique has its own risks.
In summary, aortic vascular dilatations can be detected and treated without any symptoms, especially by screening patients in risky groups. It is very important to do so.
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