Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening Abdominal aortic aneurysm is an examination procedure that aims to check for abnormal widening of the aorta. Examination is recommended since the beginning of the abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs, because if it is too late, the size of the aorta can widen and burst.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a condition of widening of the aorta in the abdomen, abnormally. The aorta is the main artery blood vessel that comes out of the heart, to supply blood throughout the body.
The exact cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm is not yet known, but several factors are thought to cause this condition. Among smoking habits, high blood pressure (hypertension), trauma due to accidents, hereditary diseases, and infections and thickening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Indications for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Examination
Symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysm are quite difficult to know. Even if there is, the initial symptoms shown are not so pronounced. The symptoms of AAA are characterized by quite sharp pain around the abdomen, back pain, and twitches around the navel.
The doctor will recommend examining abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients who are at risk of developing this condition. The main risk of AAA is men over the age of 65 years and smoking. In addition, this examination is also recommended for individuals aged 60 years or older with a family history of suffering from AAA.
The patient may have had an AAA examination with an otherwise negative result. However, it does not close the opportunity to be re-examined for these patients.
Men are more at risk of suffering from AAA than women. Even so, the risk of rupture (rupture) of the aorta is more often experienced by female patients.
Benefits of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Examination
Abdominal aortic anterior can be dangerous if not treated immediately. As many as 80 percent of AAA patients lose their lives due to being late getting treatment.
This is where the importance of abdominal aortic aneurysm examination. By knowing AAA early on, efforts can be made to prevent the dilated aorta from rupturing. Abdominal aortic aneurysm examination using ultrasonography (USG) is a procedure that is painless, fast, and reliable. Some doctors even claim that early AAA examination can reduce half of the risk of being deadly.
Before Examination of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
There is no specific preparation for abdominal aortic aneurysm examination. Because you will undergo an examination using the method of abdominal ultrasound, the preparation is no different from abdominal ultrasound.
The doctor will recommend emptying the stomach or fasting for 8-12 hours before the procedure. Food and drinks consumed can become feces and urine, which makes the images on ultrasound less clear.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Examination Procedure
Please note, abdominal aortic aneurysm examination can be done through a number of diagnostic methods.
- Ultrasonography (USG). This is the most common AAA diagnostic method. Ultrasound is considered safe, has an accuracy rate of up to 98 percent, and does not require surgery / incision (non-invasive).
- X-ray photos. X-rays will show a picture of calcium deposits around the stomach due to the formation of aneurysm walls. The weakness of this examination method is that it cannot know the size or how wide aneurysm is developing.
- CT scan. CT scan is done by injecting a special coloring agent into a vein. This diagnostic method is believed to have a high degree of accuracy in determining the size or extent of the spread of aortic aneurysms. CT scan is also quite useful to know the location of the aneurysm.
- Aortogram, which is an X-ray examination combined with the injection of a special coloring agent into a vein.
- MRI. Performed on patients who have allergies to special coloring agents used in CT scans and aortograms, or on patients who have kidney disease.
Before carrying out a supporting examination, the doctor will begin with a physical examination, especially the abdomen.
Ultrasound of the abdominal aortic aneurysm lasts quite short, around 10-15 minutes. The doctor will ask the patient to lie comfortably in bed before examining the patient's abdomen. During the examination, the doctor will press the patient's stomach with an ultrasound transducer that has been smeared with clear gel. The ultrasound screen will display pictures showing the patient's aortic condition.
Results of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Examination
There are 4 categories of AAA screening results that summarize the aortic diameter, namely:
- Normal - the average aortic diameter is less than 3 cm. These results indicate no AAA was found.
- Small - test results showing aortic diameter of 3 cm - 4.4 cm, indicating the presence of AAA. Patients will be advised to check the condition to the doctor at least once a year.
- Moderate - aortic diameter of 4.5 cm-5.4 cm.
- Large - aortic diameter of 5.5 cm or more, indicating AAA at risk of rupture.
For the normal to moderate aortic category it does not require special handling. Doctors only give suggestions to prevent the aortic condition from getting bigger by:
- Healthy diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Quit smoking.
- Control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
If the examination results show that the aortic size is in a large category, then the doctor will recommend surgery. Surgery is performed to repair damaged aortic tissue. The method of surgery will be adjusted to the patient's medical condition and the category of aneurysm obtained from the examination results.
There are two methods of surgery used, namely open surgery and endovascular surgery.
- Open operation. For AAA conditions that are very large or just broken. This operation is done by making a number of incisions in the stomach lining, and requires a long recovery time.
- Endovascular surgery. The incisions needed in this operation are less than in open surgeries. A thin, soft, and long plastic tube (stent graft) will be used to strengthen the aortic walls that are already weak.
Complications of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Examination
Abdominal aortic aneurysm examination, especially using ultrasound, is considered safe and rarely causes complications. In only a few cases, the gel used during examination can cause a local allergic reaction on the skin.
Similar to CT scans, when done according to their benefits, rarely cause complications. However, the use of contrast on CT scan risks causing allergic reactions in some people, as well as the risk of causing kidney failure, especially in people who have experienced kidney dysfunction before.
