Aortic Aneurysm

[Stlucas]

I have just been diagnosed with a 5.4cm abdominal aortic aneurysm. What are the implications of this?

[Gaynor1978]

I'm not sure but I hope all goes well.

[Cliff_G]

Hi Stlucas. This very close to the diameter (5.5 cm) at which a surgical intervention is recommended. Whoever diagnosed this should be giving you all the information you need, but if it was an incidental finding when looking at something else you may need to ensure that you are referred to a vascular surgeon. There is information on "Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm" or AAA on the NHS A-Z of conditions website. In the meantime you should keep your blood pressure low and avoid heavy lifting, straining etc. It is most often found in the over-65s, but the younger you are the more probable that there is a genetic cause for yours. It's a condition which is treatable but you do need to take care, and as I had a similar event which did go badly, I now always advise anyone with a known aortic aneurysm to wear a medical alert bracelet so that, God forbidding, something serious happens, the paramedics and A&E are notified early of the pre-existing condition. HTH.

[Stlucas in reply to Cliff_G]

It was a CT scan relating to something else, but I've been referred to the vascular department. I was having 3 yearly ultrasounds for a ''small'' aneurysm but this was quite a jump. Thanks for the advice. (I'm 73)

[Cliff_G in reply to Stlucas]

Good that you've been referred. I know that for other parts of the aorta, a rapid rate of increase in diameter (even if the absolute diameter is still below the "limit") is also a trigger for intervention, I can't see any reason why it shouldn't be for the abdominal, too. I had huge reservations about having an operation on my enlarged (thoracic) aorta, but having had a nasty event and an emergency operation I would now always encourage anyone to have the operation if it's offered. It's actually pretty routine now for AAA.