Screening of abdominal aortic aneurysm
Abstract
Germano Lucertini
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a pathological condition characterized by an abnormal, localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta, at least 50% greater in diameter than normal An abdominal aorta of a 3.0 cm diameter is considered an aneurysmal aorta [1]. AAA is almost exclusively a disease of the elderly, and is more frequent in males than in females [2-12]. Due to the risk of rupturing, AAA is a life threathening event and one of the most serious emergencies in vascular surgery. Mortality rate associated with ruptured AAAs remains very high taking into account both perioperative deaths and those occurring before treatment. By contrast, elective treatment of AAAs ensures very good results, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment to avoid rupture.