Aneurysms are characterized by structural deterioration of the vascular wall leading to progressive dilatation and, potentially, rupture of the aorta. While aortic aneurysms often remain clinically silent, the morbidity and mortality associated with aneurysm expansion and rupture are considerable. Over 13,000 deaths annually in the United States are attributable to aortic aneurysm rupture with ...

We report three patients with a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA) and a separate infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) who had initial endovascular repair of the DTAA followed by repair of AAA. Endovascular stent repair of DTAA avoids the significant morbidity associated with thoracotomy and open repair. Hence more patients with multilevel aortic aneurysm may be eligible for surg...

Although cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm have been repeatedly reported in the literature, no systematic studies of the aortas of these patients have been performed. In the study presented here, a sonographic study of the abdominal aorta in 139 ADPKD patients and in 149 healthy family members was carried out. For both groups...

To the Editor: A recent study on rats demonstrated that statins may suppress the development of cerebral aneurysms.1 Similar results were reported in 2 independent experimental studies investigating the effects of statin therapy on abdominal aortic aneurysms.2,3 Compared with placebo, treatment with simvastatin reduced both the overall extent of aortic dilatation, as well as the incidence of ab...

Aortic aneurysms can be classified into thoracic & abdominal aortic aneurysm with different clinical features, diagnostic characteristics and management. If the growth occurs continuously, it can result in bursting of the artery and bleeding, a condition termed aortic dissection, which is considered a catastrophic fatal condition. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are generally caused due to infection...

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms are pathophysiologically different from the noninflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms. Their inflammatory histology dictates its different behavior, and possibly, its particular response to endovascular treatment. The authors present a case of hydronephrosis and consequent acute kidney injury in a patient with an inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm wh...

Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in up to 9% of adults older than 65 years of age, and the rupture of these aneurysms accounts for about 15,000 deaths in the United States annually.1 Approximately 33,000 patients undergo repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms each year, with associated illness, death, and health care costs. Smoking is a major risk factor. Although aggressive management of hyperte...

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms may be useful to decrease mortality related to rupture. We conducted a study to assess the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in southern Brazil and to define risk factors associated with high prevalence of this disorder. The screening was conducted using abdominal ultrasound. Three groups were studied: Group 1 - cardiology cl...

OBJECTIVE This study investigated a large number of families in which at least two individuals were diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysms to identify the relationship of the affected relatives to the proband. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Families for the study were recruited through various vascular surgery centers in the United States, Finland, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the U...

BACKGROUND We studied whether the effectiveness of ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms could be increased by preselecting high-risk subjects, based on the presence of risk indicators for the disease. METHODS In a population-based screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms among 5328 subjects living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, we studied four different strategies to ...