Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a blood-filled bulge or ballooning in the part of the aorta that runs through the abdomen. It usually occurs when the wall of the aorta is harder than normal due to atherosclerosis, a build-up of plaque in the artery walls. When atherosclerosis is mild or severe in an artery, it can weaken the walls of that artery, leading to an aneurysm.
Causes
- Deterioration or damage to the walls of the artery, commonly found in the elderly and those with high blood pressure
- Bacterial or fungal infection of the arterial wall, such as in syphilis
- Inflammation of the artery due to autoimmune disease
- Smoking
- Heredity, family history
Symptoms
- A palpable mass in the abdomen that pulses
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Persistent back pain
Treatment
The standard treatment for this case is surgery on the abdomen
