Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: long-term survival after operation.

The long-term follow-up of 65 patients surviving surgery for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms is presented. Fifty-six per cent of these patients were alive at the time of review, having survived for a mean period of 36 months. The majority were enjoying a quality of life similar to that experienced before operation. Preexisting ischaemic heart disease did not alter the long-term prognosis. Cumulative survival curves for this group of survivors approximated both the survival curve for the average matched Australian population and similar curves constructed for patients operated upon electively for abdominal aortic aneurysms.