Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Emergency Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Introduction

Abdominal aortic aneurysm AAA is an irreversible pathogenic widening of an aortic vessel (Collin et al, 2009). The history following abdominal aortic aneurysm development involves collagen and elastin volume fraction alterations, consequence of reflected pressure waves, and nutrients diffusion across the mural thrombus (Baskin M. Kevin et al., 2000, p.3). Asymptomatic diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm greater than 5cm requires a surgical repair as a treatment of choice. The abdominal aortic aneurysm has its drastic impact on the celiac artery which supplies blood to the stomach, superior mesenteric artery, renal arteries, inferior mesenteric arteries and lumbar artery. In most of the AAA, the entire circumference of the aorta enlarges i.e. they are fusiform (Phillips, J 1998, pp.34-40). The elasticity loss in the abdominal aortic wall and the dilation and expansion of the abdominal aorta up to 3.0cm in the transverse, anterior or posterior plans is a clinical symptom of AAA and the patient is inspected for abnormal abdominal aneurysm through abnormal pulsation and palpation of abdomen (Moll, F.L., 2011, p 41).

The aneurysm is usually observed in elderly people, with co-morbidities that increase operative risks. The chief purpose of demeanor of the patient with abdominal aortic aneurysm is to foil its rupture and death. The efficiency of any management is compensated against the risk of the no treatment and risk of the treatment itself. The undeviating revelation to the aneurysm with the conformist open repair and prosthetic graft transmural suture fixation, prevent it from rupture, but it has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The post operative complications include cardiovascular problems, shock, thromboembolism, graft failure, pulmonary distress, colon ischemia, spinal cord ischemia, graft infections etc (Sherman & Lehman, 2008, pp. 12-18).

Discussion

Case Study

BB, 69 years old man brought to Accident and Emergency Department (A&D) and presented with sub-acute lower lumbar pain. History revealed that BB recounted with on and off episodes of back pain over the last 10 days. The sitting posture alleviates pain. Recurrent painful episodes were reported in the lumbosacral region. The pain got severe at night and BB sleep for only 3 to 4 hours at night. BB initially took a painkiller and after 1 hour he took Tylenol. There was no improvement in his condition. This led the doctors decide to take the old man immediately to the emergency department.

Previous medical history revealed that the patient also had prostate hypertrophy, cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure; patient had a history of bypass surgery 10 years back. BB was currently on a maintenance treatment including Cardizem. At the time of admission, the patient was suffering with severe pain. He had a pain radiating to the posterior right leg. BB had no significant history of any bowel, renal or bladder dysfunctions. Family history revealed that patient's mother was also a hypertensive patient. His father was a diabetic patient. In spite of this, no disease history found in family. On examination, the vitals were within normal ...