Abdominal aortic aneurysms in a district general hospital.

The management of all patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms attending a district general hospital over a 6-year period is reviewed. The hazards of delaying surgical treatment are emphasised. An operative mortality of 12% for non-leaking and 55.6% for leaking aneurysms is discussed with reference to other published results. Attention is drawn to the relatively high proportion of patients not undergoing surgical treatment. Some ways in which the mortality of the condition might be reduced are considered.