The aorta is the largest artery in the body and is the blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all parts of the body. The part of the aorta that passes through the chest is called the thoracic aorta, and as the aorta moves down from the abdomen, it is called the abdominal aorta.
What are Aortic Aneurysms?
Aortic aneurysms are abnormal expansion of the aortic wall. or ballooning. An aneurysm can occur anywhere in the vessels. Aneurysm or ballooning can be defined as follows:
Aneurysm can develop anywhere along the aorta:
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Aneurysms that occur in the region of the aorta passing through the abdomen. (abdominal aorta) abdominal aortic aneurysms
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Aortic aneurysms that occur in the chest area are called thoracic aortic aneurysm and the aortic root, ascending It may include the aorta, aortic arch, or descending aorta.
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Aneurysms in both the abdominal and thoracic regions are called thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms
Abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracic aneurysms are not the only types of aneurysms. Aneurysms can develop in other blood vessels:
What are the symptoms of an aortic aneurysm?
thoracic aortic aneurysm symptoms (affects the upper part of the aorta in the chest) :
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Pain in the jaw, neck, upper back, or chest
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Cough, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing
Symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (affecting the lower part of the aorta in the abdomen):
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Feeled by a doctor when performing a physical examination pulsating enlargement or tender mass
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Pain in the back, abdomen or groin that is not relieved by position change or painkillers
Early diagnosis of aneurysm is important for managing the condition and reducing the risk of rupture. If you have these symptoms, call your doctor immediately.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
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 (sometimes, the upper part of the aorta in the chest becomes enlarged). can be removed). The aorta is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Like most arteries, the aorta is elastic, which allows it to fill with blood under high pressure. An aneurysm develops when the wall of the artery weakens and swells like a balloon. Aneurysms are usually discovered before they produce symptoms such as back pain, but the weakened aortic artery can rupture if it grows too large.
Some risk factors for abdominal aneurysms
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Smoking
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Heredity
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Injury
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Infection
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High blood pressure (hypertension). This accelerates damage to blood vessel walls.
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Arteriosclerosis
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High cholesterol
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All men aged 65 and over and those aged 55 and over with a family history of AAA. men over
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All women aged 65 and over who have a family member with AAA or smokers
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Abdominal aneurysm – in the artery in the abdomen (middle section)
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Thoracic aneurysm – in an artery in the chest
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Cerebral aneurysm – in an artery in the brain (usually treated by neurosurgeons)
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Peripheral aneurysm – in the large arteries of the legs and behind the knees and sometimes the arms
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Pulsatile enlargement or tender mass felt by a doctor when doing a physical exam
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Change in position or pain in the back, abdomen, or groin that is prolonged and not relieved by painkillers
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Ultrasound
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CT scans
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
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Angiogram
Who should be screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a significant disease that does not have associated symptoms until a life-threatening event such as aneurysm rupture occurs. is a health risk. Abdominal ultrasound is a preventive screening tool that can be used to identify AAA before aneurysm rupture so that rapid treatment can be provided.
Some different types of aneurysms
Most aneurysms occur in the abdomen. Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur most often in people over the age of 60 and most commonly at a point in the aorta just below the level of the kidneys. Men are more affected by aneurysms than women.
What are the symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysms?
Most people do not know they have an aneurysm because In most cases there are no symptoms. However, as aneurysms grow, symptoms may include:
A ruptured aneurysm usually causes 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. produces symptoms. A ruptured aneurysm requires urgent treatment.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Diagnosis and Tests
How to detect an abdominal aneurysm ?
Most abdominal aneurysms are diagnosed on an can be used to determine options:
How is Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm treated?
Very large or symptomatic aneurysms require treatment. There are two types of surgical treatments for large aneurysms.
Open surgical repair
This requires the surgeon to make an incision to access the abdominal aortic aneurysm. The diseased part of the aorta is replaced with a graft that acts as an artificial blood vessel. The average hospital stay varies between 5 and 8 days. The time until returning to normal activity varies between 6 weeks and 3 months. As with any operation, open surgical repair has a risk of complications.
Endovascular repair
“Endovascular” means within the blood vessel, called a stent graft. It involves inserting a small fabric tube with fabric and metal stents into your body and applying it to the diseased area. First, small incisions are made in both groins to access the arteries that carry blood from the aorta. The surgeon then inserts the stent-graft into the aorta. It moves upward through these arteries until they open in the lower part. The stent-graft strengthens the weakened part of the vessel from the inside and creates a new channel through which the blood passes, eliminating the risk of rupture. This procedure usually takes 1 to 3 hours and patients typically leave the hospital within 1 to 2 days. Return to normal activity ranges from 2 to 6 weeks. Like any medical procedure, endovascular repair has a risk of complications. You also need to have regular follow-up visits with your doctor to evaluate the stent-graft. These regular follow-ups are extremely important and require CT.
How to follow-up a patient with an aneurysm?
If you have a small aneurysm, your doctor will measure the size of your aneurysm for CT or ultrasound. He or she will ask you to come back every 6 to 12 months to measure and review any other symptoms you may have. If surgery is required, you will need a comprehensive medical evaluation beforehand.
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