Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treatment

An aneurysm happens when a portion of the vessel ends up debilitated and extends. The weight of the blood moving through the vessel makes a lump at the feeble spot, much as an overinflated inward tube can cause a bump in a tire. The lump, for the most part, begins little and develops as the blood continues to gather in the weakest spot.

What are the Possible Causes of Aortic Aneurysm?

An aortic aneurysm happens at the weakest spot of the aorta. This condition is particularly prevalent in the newborns. Let’s have a look at the listed causes:

• Atherosclerosis: A blocked or damaged supply route from a condition called atherosclerosis is the most widely recognised reason for aortic aneurysm. Atherosclerosis causes hardening of the supply routes because of calcification. Here, cholesterol solidifies in the form of plaque and adheres to the coating of the vein divider. If any weak spot is left, the bloodstream attempts to get past the plaque wall, and ballooning happens.
• Diabetes: Diabetes harms veins by untimely, quickened atherosclerosis, abandoning them helpless against various conditions including aneurysm arrangement.
• Hypertension: High pulse puts weight on the mass of the aorta. Aneurysm is commonly found in people with hypertension.
• Cystic Medical Necrosis (CMN): CMN is a disorder of large arteries, which is mainly known to affect the aorta. The accumulation of basophilic ground substance in the bloodstream with cyst-like lesions. This condition is generally coupled with certain acquired conditions, like, Marfan disorder and Ehlers-Danlos disorder. It is more likely to happen during pregnancy.
• Mycotic Aneurysm: This condition happens when the microbes spread into the blood vessel framework, attack the aorta’s wall and weaken it. In the 20th century, (STD) syphilis was a common reason for this condition.
• Physical Injuries: Injury to the chest or stomach, either because of an accident or a fall, can harm the aorta.

What are the Observable Signs and Symptoms?

The following symptoms are observed under normal conditions:

• Tenderness or pain in the chest
• A pulsating bulge in the chest
• Back pain
• Hoarseness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath

In case the weak spot bursts and an emergency-like situation happens, the symptoms are slightly different.

• Lightheadedness
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Feeling delirious
• Low blood pressure
• Profuse sweating
• Palpitations
• Loss of consciousness
• Tingling sensation in nerves

Diagnosis and Tests

Doctors usually take the patient’s medical and family history before any procedure because a condition like abdominal aortic aneurysm often runs in families. Apart from that, the following tests are used to diagnose the condition.

• Abdominal ultrasound
  This is the most common way of diagnosing abdominal aortic aneurysm. The procedure is painless. The doctor makes you lie down on your back and applies a warm gel on your abdomen. The purpose of putting the gel is to remove any air pockets, which will hinder the ultrasound process. Then, the doctor uses a device known as the transducer to scan.
• Computerised tomography (CT) scan
  This test provides your doctor with clear images of your aorta. The size and shape of an aneurysm can be detected through this method. The doctor injects you with a dye and makes you lie inside a doughnut-shaped machine. The scanning generates the cross-sectional pictures of your body. With the help of dye, your arteries are made visible, and it becomes easier to detect the bulging section of the aortic valve.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  An MRI is an imaging test that may be used to diagnose an aneurysm and determine its size and location. The doctor makes you lie on a table. You are slid into a tunnel-like machine, where magnetic field radio wave pulses scan your body and create its images. Whether to inject a dye or not is the doctor’s decision.

What are the Treatment Options?

Just in case you are found to have abdominal aortic aneurysm, a surgical procedure is suggested. The decision of surgical procedure depends on the size of your aneurysm. If it is between is between 1.9 to 2.2 inches (or bigger), a surgery is advised. Open abdominal surgery and endovascular surgery are the options which doctors give depending on the severity of your condition.

• Open Abdominal Surgery This procedure is to repair a stomach aortic aneurysm includes removing the affected segment of the aorta and supplanting it with an artificial tube, which is then sewn to keep it at its place. The recovery time is roughly 30 days, which could extend depending on how the surgery went.
• Endovascular Surgery This procedure is less invasive, so the chances of getting scars are not much. It is the most preferred method by doctors to treat abdominal aneurysm. The surgeon attaches a synthetic graft to the end of a thin tube (catheter), inserts it through an artery in your either lower limb and gently pushed up into your aorta. The expandable graft is then secured with the help of clips. The recovery time is much lesser as compared to an open abdominal procedure.

What are the Risks and Complications after Surgery?

As with any surgical procedure, some risks and complications are always present. Some of them are mentioned below:

• Infection of the graft
• Lung problems
• Kidney damage
• Spinal cord injury
• Bleeding during or after surgery
• Heart attack (Myocardial infarction)
• Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
• Injury to the bowel (intestines)
• A clot (embolus) can travel to other parts of the body is formed
• Loss of blood flow to legs/feet (Limb ischemia)