Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Epidemiology:

• Most are infrarenal
• Most with ruputrued AAA die before reaching hospital
• ~30% with ruptured AAA die after emergency surgery
• ~2% with non-ruptured AAA die after elective surgery
• 4000 deaths per year, mostly elderly men\
• Declining incidence

Risk factors:

• Age >50yrs
• Male (x6)
• Smoking (x3)
• HTN (1.5)
• Fox (x10)
• Connective tissue disorder

Presentation of AAA

• Most are asymptomatic
• Impending rupture
  • Pain and or tenderness
• Rupture
  • Abdominal pain radiating to back
  • Hypotension
  • Pulsatile abdominal mass
• Embolism
  • Acute limb ischaemia- 6 Ps
  • Blue toe syndrome