An aneurysm is when a blood vessel becomes abnormally large or balloons outward. The abdominal aorta is a large blood vessel that supplies blood to your abdomen, the pelvis, and legs.

 The aorta is the largest artery in your body, and it carries blood from your heart out to the rest of the body. Your aorta starts in your chest, where it is called the thoracic aorta. When it reaches your abdomen, it is called the abdominal aorta. The abdominal aorta supplies blood to the intestines, liver and kidneys. Just below the abdomen, the aorta splits into the iliac arteries which carry blood to each leg.

When a weak area of the abdominal aorta grows, it is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). An abdominal aortic aneurysm can develop in anyone, but it is most frequently seen in people over 50 with one or more risk factors. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it is to rupture.

 Normally, the aorta is about 2.5 cm in diameter. An aneurysmal aorta can grow to 5 cm or beyond. Aneurysms this large are a health risk because of the chance of rupture. This can cause massive internal bleeding and can be fatal. Fortunately, when diagnosed early, AAA can be treated, or even cured, with highly effective and safe treatments.

Aneurysms can be caused by inflammation in the aorta, which may cause its wall to break down. Some researches believe that this inflammation can be associated with atherosclerosis (also called hardening of the arteries) and risk factors that contribute to atherosclerosis, such as high blood pressure (hypertension).

Besides atherosclerosis, other factors that can increase your risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm include:

• Being a man older than 60 years
• Having an immediate relative, such as a mother or brother, who has had abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Having high blood pressure
• Smoking

Your risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm increases as you age. AAA is more common in men than in women.

What are the symptoms?

Many people do not feel any symptoms with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Occasionally, patients can experience:

• A pulsing feeling in the abdomen, similar to a heartbeat.
• Severe, sudden pain in your abdomen or lower back. If this is the case, your aneurysm
• may be about to rupture.

If your aneurysm ruptures, you may suddenly feel intense weakness, dizziness, or back pain, and you may lose consciousness. This is a life- threatening situation and you should seek medical attention immediately.

How is an aneurysm diagnosed?

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are most often found when a physician is performing an imaging test for another condition. If your physician suspects that you may have AAA, he may recommend one of the following tests:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

An endovascular stent graft is a metal-lined fabric tube that reinforces an aneurysm in a blood vessel. It is a way to reline the blood vessel and decrease the chance of an aneurysm rupturing. The stent graft seals tightly above and below the aneurysm. The graft is stronger than the weakened artery and allows blood to pass through it without pushing on the bulge. Endovascular stent grafting can be used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), as well as thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs).

To perform endovascular procedures, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists use wires and catheters inside the blood vessels. Theses catheters can be placed in the blood vessels in the legs, meaning that only two small incisions are required. Generally, endovascular treatments allow you to leave the hospital sooner and recover more quickly, with less pain and a lower risk of complications and death than traditional surgery, because the incisions are smaller. Sometimes traditional surgery is required, however, if the shape or the location of the aneurysm is not favorable for an endovascular treatment.

Surgical Aneurysm Repair

An interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon may recommend that you have a surgical procedure called open aneurysm repair if your aneurysm is causing symptoms or is larger than 2 inches, or is enlarging under observation.