Identification

• An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge formed in the artery when the walls of the blood vessel break down or weaken. If the aneurysm ruptures, hemorrhaging within the abdomen or even death can occur. According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, around 15,000 of the nearly 200,000 people diagnosed annually with AAA have aneurysms serious enough to cause death if not treated before it bursts. There exists specific testing to determine the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of AAA: abdominal ultrasound, CT scan or MRI.
  
  

Treatment

• Depending on the size and threat of the AAA, the following courses of treatment are typical: "watch and wait"--if the aneurysm is small (less than 2 inches) you will be checked every six to 12 months to follow growth, if any; surgical repair--a surgical procedure referred to as "open aneurysm repair" will be performed by a vascular surgeon; or a stent graft--another surgical procedure, which is considered less invasive than the open aneurysm repair but requires more frequent follow-up.
  
  

Watch and Wait

• The watch-and-wait treatment involves active patient participation. Since aneurysms never go away the follow-up regimen recommended by the health care professional may include CT scans or ultrasounds as a way to keep track of the size of the AAA. Further, if you have high blood pressure, a provider may prescribe medications to keep it within normal range, and if you smoke you should get help to quit.
  
  

Surgery

• When an AAA is larger than 2 inches, or symptoms appear, surgery is often necessary to strengthen the weakened vessel. Open aneurysm repair is a surgery performed by a vascular surgeon involving the grafting of plastic-type tubing through an incision made in the abdomen that replaces the weakened part of the vessel. This procedure typically requires a four- to seven-day hospital stay and recovery time can take up to three months. However, more than 90 percent of these procedures have long-term success, according to the Society for Vascular Surgery.
  
  

Stent Graft

• A newer, less invasive technique known as an endovascular stent graft is being used instead of the open aneurysm repair when appropriate. The procedure involves slender tubes called catheters being passed through the blood vessels beginning at the groin area and continuing to the aneurysm site. The surgeon will make a small incision near the groin and watch the material and catheter being threaded to the site of the AAA via X-ray photos appearing on a monitor or screen.
  When the repair is complete, a hospital stay of no more than three days is usually necessary; however, more frequent follow-up is required with this procedure to ensure the graft is functioning as expected.