Visceral Artery Aneurysms.

Visceral artery aneurysms are an uncommon form of vascular disease, yet are important to the practicing vascular surgeon because of the potential for rupture or erosion into an adjacent viscus, resulting in life-threatening hemorrhage. Many visceral artery aneurysms still present with rupture, which often results in the death of the patient. An aggressive approach to the diagnosis and management of these aneurysms is warranted. The treatment of visceral artery aneurysms has significantly evolved over the past decade. Open surgical repair has been the standard method of treatment, usually by aneurysm resection or simple ligation. Open surgical repair is durable with excellent long-term results, but is accompanied by the morbidity and mortality of a major abdominal operation. Over the past decade, catheter-based treatments with coil embolization and placement of stent grafts have emerged as promising therapies to treat visceral artery aneurysms. These have provided safe and effective short-term results and should be preferentially used in selected patients at high surgical risk.