Abdominal aortic aneurysms: how can we improve their treatment?

Arteriosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysms are present in a least 2% of the elderly population of the Western world and their number is increasing. Without treatment 30% of patients with asymptomatic aneurysms live for 5 years, although the risk of rupture becomes greater as the size of the aneurysm increases. Of those with untreated symptomatic aneurysms 80% are dead within a year. Elective repair of aneurysms has a low mortality, and 50% of the patients live for at least 5 years. Symptomatic aneurysms all cause pain and may produce other symptoms from pressure on adjacent structures, distal embolism, acute thrombosis or rupture. In 88% of cases an aneurysm can be diagnosed by physical examination alone; confirmatory tests include soft-tissue roentgenography of the abdomen, ultrasonography, computer-assisted tomography and aortography. Repair is indicated for symptomatic or ruptured aortic aneurysms and for asymptomatic aneurysms over 5 cm in diameter. Early diagnosis and referral for repair is essential for optimum treatment of this common condition.