Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Treatment

What are Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms?

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are blood-filled balloon-like bulges that grow slowly over time. AAA’s in particular, happen in a part of your aorta that runs through your abdomen. The aorta is the largest artery in your body. Its primary function is to carry blood away from your heart and toward the rest of your body. Once an aneurysm has formed, it will gradually increase and progressively grow weaker. An aneurysm can occur anywhere in the aorta, but most often happens in the abdomen (belly).

Understanding the Prevalence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), while potentially serious, occur with notable frequency. Let’s delve into the numbers and factors contributing to their prevalence.

Frequency Among Adults: Approximately 1.4% of adults aged 50 to 84 in the United States are diagnosed with these aneurysms. This translates to around 1.1 million individuals.
Gender Differences: Men over 65 are particularly at risk, with occurrence rates ranging from 1% to 2%. With age, the risk for developing an AAA doubles every ten years. Moreover, men are four times more likely to develop this condition compared to women.
Impact of Lifestyle and Genetics: Among women, particularly those over 70 who have smoked, about 1% are affected. Additionally, when AAAs occur in women, they tend to rupture at smaller sizes, posing a greater threat.

Research highlights several other factors worth noting:

Common Locations: While aneurysms can form along any part of the aorta, around 75% develop in the abdominal region.
Ethnic Variations: AAAs appear more frequently in white populations compared to Black and Asian demographics.
Family Links: There is a hereditary aspect to consider; AAAs can occur among relatives, emphasizing the role of genetics in their development.

Understanding these statistics and risk factors is crucial for awareness and prevention strategies, helping individuals assess their susceptibility and seek timely medical advice.

Seeking Treatment for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Symptoms of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Dr. Adam Richter, one of our vascular surgeons, says that “most abdominal aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic.” In other words, they may not show any symptoms.

In fact, AAAs are often found during an evaluation for another medical condition. As the aneurysm grows, you may experience abdominal pain, lower back pain, or a pulsing feeling near your belly button. If you are experiencing similar pain, especially if the pain is sudden and severe, seek medical attention immediately.

When symptoms of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm do occur, they may include:

A pulsating feeling in your abdomen
Pain in your back, abdomen, or groin
Feeling lightheaded or faint
Trouble breathing
Swelling in your legs or abdomen

Diagnosing AAA

Since AAA can be hard to notice, doctors usually find that abdominal ultrasounds yield the best results when diagnosing AAA. However, before doing an ultrasound, your doctor will look for pulsing sensations in your abdomen. During an exam, your doctor can also listen for irregular blood flow. In addition, your doctor can confirm AAA’s through CT scans and MRIs.

Ways to diagnose abdominal aortic aneurysm include:

An ultrasound to look at the size and shape of your aorta
A computerized tomography (CT) scan to get a more detailed picture of your aorta
A magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is used to create a detailed picture of the inside of your aorta
An arteriogram, which is an X-ray of the arteries after dye is injected into them, to see if you have an aneurysm

Prognosis for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

When diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), there are several factors that play a crucial role in shaping the prognosis.

Key Factors Influencing Prognosis

Severity and Size: The size of the aneurysm is a critical determinant. Smaller aneurysms may simply require regular monitoring, whereas larger ones might necessitate surgical intervention.
Timeliness of Treatment: Early detection and prompt treatment significantly improve outcomes. This could involve lifestyle changes, medication, or surgery, depending on the aneurysm’s condition.
General Health and Lifestyle: Your overall health, including fitness levels and lifestyle habits, significantly influences recovery and long-term prognosis. Engaging in heart-healthy practices such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking can enhance recovery prospects.

Regular Monitoring and Medical Guidance

Ongoing consultations with your healthcare provider are essential. They will likely recommend regular imaging tests to monitor any changes in the aneurysm’s size and condition.

Individualized Medical Advice

Since every individual’s medical history is unique, personalized advice from your healthcare provider remains invaluable. They can offer guidance tailored to your specific health needs and status. Always consult with them to understand your situation better and obtain a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

What Happens if AAA is Left Untreated?

If an abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures and is not appropriately treated, the consequences can be fatal. In most cases of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms that go untreated, fatality can occur within hours to a week.

Causes of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

An abdominal aortic aneurysm can happen as a result of other health conditions, like:

Connective Tissue Disorders: Connective tissue disorders can weaken the aorta wall which increases the risk of it bulging
Arterial Inflammation: Inflammation of arteries also weakens the arterial wall while reducing blood flow to organs and tissues
Infections: Certain infections can weaken the arterial wall, such as syphilis, salmonella, and staphylococcus
Blunt Force Trauma: Trauma, whether blunt or direct, can impact the aorta through sudden force or impact

How Are AAAs Treated?

The size of your abdominal aneurysm significantly affects your treatment plan. For instance, the goal for patients with smaller aneurysms is to prevent ruptures through monitoring and surgery. On the other hand, if you have a larger aneurysm, surgery will be the go-to treatment. Surgery options include abdominal and vascular surgery to strengthen the aorta. As you seek treatment, your healthcare provider will help you understand the risks of surgery before deciding on the best treatment option. Should an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, it will cause severe internal bleeding. Because the aorta moves so much blood, a ruptured aneurysm can be life-threatening. Hence, you must work closely with your doctor to seek the right treatment.

When visiting your healthcare provider to discuss concerns about an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), it’s crucial to ask the right questions to fully understand your situation and treatment options. Here’s a guide to help you through the conversation:

Understanding Your Risk

Am I at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Understanding your personal risk is the first step. Factors like age, family history, smoking, and high blood pressure can increase your risk.
Should I undergo screening for an AAA?
Determine if screening is necessary based on your medical history and risk factors.

If Diagnosed with an AAA

If you’ve been diagnosed with an AAA, delve into the specifics:

What is the size of my aneurysm, and what does it mean for my health?
The size can influence the treatment approach, as larger aneurysms may require different interventions.
Should I be considering regular monitoring or is surgery necessary?
Tailor your treatment plan based on the aneurysm’s size and growth rate.
Which surgical procedure would be most suitable for my condition?
Ask about the available surgical options, such as open surgery or endovascular repair, and discuss which might be better suited to your specific case.
What are the pros and cons of undergoing surgery?
Understand the potential benefits and risks involved with surgical intervention to make an informed decision.

Post-Surgery Considerations

What is the expected recovery time following the surgery?
This will help you plan for your recovery period and manage expectations about your daily activities.
What follow-up care will I require?
Ensure you’re aware of any necessary follow-up appointments or rehabilitation to monitor your recovery and overall health.

Family Health

Should any of my family members be screened for AAA?
If there’s a family history, it’s important to consider screening for relatives, as some risk factors may be hereditary.

By asking these questions, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your condition and the best course of action to take with your healthcare provider.

Prevention

Who Can Develop AAAs?

If you want to prevent an aortic aneurysm, you should understand what increases your risk of developing an aortic aneurysm. There are multiple risk factors for AAA which include:

Heavy smoking
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Traumatic Injury

Additional factors include family history, age, and gender. In particular, aneurysms occur most often in people who are age 65 or older. In terms of gender, men are at a greater risk of developing AAA than women. Pregnancy is another risk factor for developing AAA.

If pregnancy is in your future and you’re worried about developing AAA, you should consult with your doctor. If you do create an aneurysm, you will need treatment from a specialist.

Prevention

Because AAAs are a progressive disease, adjustments to your lifestyle are the most effective form of prevention. If you are committed to preventing AAAs, we encourage you to use the following steps:

Step 1: Quit smoking. Smoking damages many parts of your body, including your lungs and veins.
Step 2: Maintain a healthy diet. Avoid saturated fat, trans fats, and limit salt intake.
Step 3: Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
Step 4: Exercise regularly. If you have trouble staying active, talk to your doctor about what activities best suit you.

Additionally, these preventative steps will reduce your risk of developing other vascular health problems. For instance, you will decrease the risk of developing peripheral arterial disease, varicose veins, spider veins, and other vascular diseases. You should visit a professional if you’re at risk for or think you have an AAA. Book an appointment with a vascular surgeon at one of our many office locations throughout Middle Tennessee. Our clinic locations in Nashville, Brentwood, and Franklin are experienced in heart health evaluations and identifying heart disease.

AAA Treatment With The Surgical Clinic in Nashville, Tennessee

If you are experiencing symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or facing conditions that can lead to AAA, contact one of our TSC providers today. You can book an appointment with a vascular surgeon at one of our many office locations throughout Middle Tennessee. Our clinic locations in Nashville, Brentwood, and Franklin are experienced in heart health evaluations and identifying heart disease.