Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Q & A
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is an enlargement in your aorta, which is the main blood vessel in your body. Your aorta runs from your heart down through your abdominal area and is as thick as a garden hose. If the enlargement in your aorta grows and weakens the wall, it may rupture, which can be life-threatening.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms tend to grow slowly and don’t always cause symptoms. However, as it enlarges you may begin to feel:
- Pulsing sensation in your navel
- Pain in your abdomen
- Back pain
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek medical evaluation immediately.
You may be at risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm if you’re a smoker or have high blood pressure or atherosclerosis. Abdominal aortic aneurysms also tend to run in families.
Because they don’t cause noticeable symptoms, your abdominal aortic aneurysm may be found accidentally during a routine physical exam or during a chest X-ray or ultrasound conducted for another reason.
To confirm you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, your specialist at North Atlanta Vascular Clinic may recommend additional testing, such as an abdominal ultrasound or an MRI.
It’s recommended that every smoker, or former smoker, ages 65-75 be screened for abdominal aortic aneurysms to assess risk and prevent, or stay on top of, serious complications.
Treatment for your abdominal aortic aneurysm depends on the severity of the enlargement. In many cases, your specialist at *** Clinic may recommend simply monitoring the enlargement with regular imaging tests.
If your abdominal aortic aneurysm is large, surgery may be necessary. The team at *** Clinic specializes in vascular surgery in *** and may be able to perform an endovascular repair, which is when a mesh stent is placed over the aorta to provide additional support to the aortic wall.
For diagnosis and management of your abdominal aortic aneurysm, call the vascular experts at *** Clinic today, or request an appointment online.