Prospective study on factors delaying surgery in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Delays between rupture, eventual diagnosis and the repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) can significantly affect outcome, but the reasons for such delays in management are not always clear. A prospective study was, therefore, performed on 30 patients with ruptured AAAs. Twenty-three male and seven female patients, mean age 71.3 years, were studied. The general practitioner had made the correct diagnosis in only 38% of cases and the most common misdiagnosis was renal colic (24%). Non-vascular hospital doctors made the correct diagnosis in 55% of cases, but patients with back pain were the most frequently misdiagnosed by both types of doctor. The performance of an ultrasound scan significantly delayed referral to the vascular unit from a median of 0.75 to 2.50 hours and was of little benefit in aiding the diagnosis. In conclusion, the most striking delay factors in the management of ruptured AAAs are the high incidence of misdiagnosis and the lack of benefit of ultrasound scanning.