Abdominal Aortic Aneursyms Essay

Aneurysms were first described by the sixteenth century anatomist and physician Vesalius, who believed they were simply a widening of the vessel (Collin et al 2009). An abdominal aneurysm (abdominal aortic aneurysm) is a condition in which the abdominal aorta (a abundant livestock vessel that supplies blood to the abdominal, pelvis and the lower limbs) becomes large and fly ahead(p) to the development of several(prenominal)(prenominal) symptoms. The condition more often occurs in males compared to females. It occurs more frequently in above the age 60. When the aortic aneurysm is larger than sizing, it is more likely to shift causing life-threating problems. This is a medical exam emergency requiring critical care. This complication is pose in or so 20% of the people affected with abdominal aortic aneurysm. A nonher complication with AAA is aortic dissection in which the innermost membrane of the blood vessel ruptures cod to the intense constrict causing blood to be filled within the wall of the artery. The charter cause of the disorder has still not been understood clearly, but several riskinessiness factors whitethorn be present including-See moreThe 3 Types of Satire Essay* Hypertension* High cholesterol levels* Obesity* emphysema* Genetic factors* Smoking (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008)Individuals affected with AAA initially may not fork out any symptoms. Symptoms of the condition usually develop suddenly due to rupture of the wall or breakage of the innermost wall. Sudden rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, often without prior medical warning, is the 13th leading cause of morality in the US (Li, Z 2006). Some of the symptoms that stomach develop in AAA embroil- * Abdominal pain (which may be severe, consistent and radiates to the legs, bulwark and the buttocks region)* Pulsations in the tummy & palpitations* unwellness and vomiting* Anxiety and agitation* Abdominal rigidity* Cold and wet skin* Presence of the abdominal mass* Excruciating pain in the limbs and back, when the AAA ruptures* Fatal outcomes in the part of ruptured AAA(Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008) When the AAA is small in size (less than 5 centimeters), no treatment is required. Antihypertensive may be needed to pr levelt any further complications from developing. Besides, if the individual has any risk factors that can worsen the condition, it needs to be rectified instantaneously (such as giving up smoking, weight reduction, lowering cholesterol levels, etc.). Periodic evaluations have been recommended to ensure that any risk can be identified and immediately taken care of (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008). Surgery is required if the AAA is larger than 5.5 centimeters in size, as the risk for rupture or dissection is present. The Aneurysmal defect is repaired by inserting a surgical transplanting. This can be performed by two manner namely the conventional approach or the endovascular approach. In the conventional approac h, widely distributed anesthesia is utilized.A surgical incision is made below the look bone, the aneurysm defect identified, and the graft material sutured in position. The entire occasion takes about 5 hours and a stay of at least a week in the hospital is required. The second approach is the endovascular stent grafting in which regional anesthesia is administered and a catheter is introduced through the femoral artery present in the groin region. This catheter contains the stent graft. It is gradually guided into position using imagery techniques. Once it is position, the stent graft is opened ensuring a stable blood flow. The influence takes about 3 hours can require a stay of about 3 days in the hospital (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008).Several imaging techniques present a truly important role in diagnosing and treating AAA. These include ultrasound, CT scans and angiography. Abdominal ultrasound is one of the preferred examinations for AAA. Ultrasound of the abdom en is also required following convention surgery to monitor the repaired AAA closely. It is usually performed as an initial imaging modality due to several factors including-* Portability* Absence of ionizing radiation* Low costs* Easy availability (Radvany MG. 2006)Angiography involves validation of a contrast media into the femoral artery present in the groin region and then taking X-rays to determine the condition of the abdominal aorta. It is very(prenominal) useful before conventional and endovascular surgery for planning. It also seems to be very useful in the case of aortic dissection. However, angiography also carries a a few(prenominal) risks including-* Damage to the artery* Hypotension* Infection of blood vessel* Embolism and back up formation* Bleeding and heart attack (Bentley-Hibbert S. 2007 & Radvany MG. 2006). If the abdominal ultrasound and AAA greater 5 centimeters, than a CT scan of the abdomen is required. The CT scan can better help to plan the surgical inte rposition as the images provide a roofy of detail (including involvement of the renal arteries, size of the aneurysm, amount of calcification, battlefront of mural thrombi, etc.). The accuracy of CT scans is state to be 100%. They provide a lot of details regarding the size of the aneurysm and also about distal and proximal issues. CT even with contrast media cannot be utilized to study dissection aneurysm or the presence of the limit of mural thrombus.They are also required following endovascular graft surgery for a period of 6 months as a post-procedural review article measure (Radvany MG. 2006). MRI scans of the abdomen are required when the side-effects of the contrast media utilise in other techniques could be potential damaging to the patient (in case of kidney or liver problems) or when radiation is contra-indicated. The images provide a lot of detail and are accurate. However, MRI cannot be performed in individuals with cardiac pacemakers. CT and MRI scanning also have other advantages including- * Provides details regarding extent of involvement* Determine involvement of major blood vessels (Radvany MG. 2006)Reference runAlbright JL. Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Medline Plus. lendable at http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000162.htm Accessed October 20, 2012.Bentley-Hibbert S. Aortic angiography. Medline Plus. Available at http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003814.htm Accessed October 26, 2012.Hallett JW. Aneurysms. 2008. The Merck Manual. Available at http//www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch035/ch035b.html Accessed October 26, 2012.Li Z. Effects of blood flow and vessel geometry on wall stress and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Journal Of Medical Engineering & Technology serial online. family line 200630(5)283-297. Available from Computer Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 24, 2012.Radvany MG et al. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Diagnosis. E-Medicine. 2006. Available at http//www.emedicine.com/Radio/topic1.htm Acce ssed October 24, 2012.Woodrow P. Abdominal aortic aneurysms clinical features, treatment and care. Nursing warning serial online. August 17, 201125(50)50. Available from Advanced Placement Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 24, 2012.