Posted: 09/29/05 - 02:00 Post subject: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?
My father will have surgery soon. He has to operate aorta because he has aneurysm. It is located in the abdominal part. I am worried about him so I would like to know more about his condition. What is it all about?
An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the wall of the aorta. Aorta is the body's largest artery, the blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood. Most aneurysms occur in the section running through abdomen (abdominal aneurysms). The rest of the aneurysms occur in the section that runs through chest (thoracic aneurysms). An aortic aneurysm is serious because depending on its size it can rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding. As the aneurysm gets larger the risk of an aneurysm rupturing increases. They are classified by shape, location along the aorta and how they are formed. Abdominal aortic aneurysm is located along the portion of the aorta that passes through the abdomen. Abdominal aorta (continuing from the thoracic aorta) carries blood down through the abdomen until it splits off into two smaller arteries that provide blood to the pelvis and legs. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are more common than thoracic aortic aneurysms. These aneurysms can affect anyone, but are most often seen in men ages 40 to 70. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms are caused by atherosclerosis. If the aneurysms are small then it is the best to control it's growth but if they are large and growing more that 1 cm per year then the surgery is best option.
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