Surgical management of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are increasingly common in the aging population. While the etiology of abdominal aortic aneurysms is unknown, there is growing evidence that suggests an immune response. The majority of AAA are asymptomatic and when treated are standard open surgical procedures. The overall mortality rate is 5% or less. The current recommendations for the treatment of aneurysms are based on diameter: diameters exceeding 5 cm in good-risk younger patients should be treated. Aortic aneurysms tend to enlarge over time with a growth-rate between 0.2 and 0.4 mm per year. Once rupture occurs mortality is estimated to exceed 75%, with half of the patients dying prior to arriving at the hospital and the remaining one-half following surgical correction. Recently, minimally invasive techniques have been developed to treat AAA in high-risk patients. These techniques involve the use of covered stented grafts. Current clinical investigations are underway both in this country and in Europe, which have yielded promising results. However, long-term complications are unknown. Currently, aortic aneurysms are best treated with open surgical management.