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Overview

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta, that exceeds the normal diameter of the abdominal aorta by more than 50%. The normal diameter of an aorta depends on the patient's age, sex, height, weight, race, body surface area, and baseline blood pressure. On average, the normal diameter of the infrarenal aorta is 2 cm, and therefore a true AAA measures 3.0 cm or more. Aortic ectasia is a mild generalized dilatation (<50% of the normal diameter of ≤ 2.9 cm) that is due to age-related degenerative changes in the vessel walls.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening condition and must be treated as such irrespective of the underlying cause.

• Abdominal trauma
• Bacteremia
• Gastrointestinal perforation
• Vertebral osteomyelitis

Common Causes

• Abdominal trauma
• Atherosclerosis
• Marfan syndrome

FIRE: Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation

A Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation (FIRE) should be performed to identify patients in need of immediate intervention.

Abbreviations:

Complete Diagnostic Approach

A complete diagnostic approach should be carried out after a focused initial rapid evaluation is conducted and following initiation of any urgent intervention.

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Examine the patient:

Characterize the symptoms: ❑ Asymptomatic ❑ Majority of the patients are asymptomatic (Detected incidentally) ❑ Symptomatic but not ruptured ❑ Pain with an indolent onset ❑ Abdominal pain ❑ Back pain ❑ Groin pain (scrotum) ❑ Pulsating sensations in the abdomen ❑ Limb ischemia (suggestive of embolism of thrombus or atherosclerotic debris) ❑ Systemic manifestations(suggestive of primary aortic infection with aneurysm formation or secondary infection of an established AAA) ❑ Fever ❑ Malaise ❑ Symptomatic and ruptured ❑ Severe pain described as severe, sudden, persistent, or constant ❑ Back/flank pain (suggestive of proximal aortic rupture near the renal arteries) ❑ Abdominal/pelvic pain (distal rupture near the iliac bifurcation) ❑ Pain that radiates to the groin or thigh (suggestive of lumbar nerve irritation) ❑ Hypotension ❑ Syncope, fainting (suggestive of hemorrhage) ❑ Symptoms of myocardial infarction (due to acute blood loss) ❑ Chest pain radiating to the lower jaw, neck, right arm, back, and upper abdomen ❑ Anxiety ❑ Palpitation ❑ Sweating ❑ Rapid, weak pulse ❑ Shortness of breath ❑ Rapid breathing ❑ Clammy skin ❑ Symptoms of heart failure (suggestive of arteriovenous fistula as a result of rupture of the aorta into a surrounding venous structure ) ❑ Hematuria (suggestive of aortocaval fistula) ❑ Massive leg swelling and lower extremity cyanosis (suggestive of aortocaval fistula) ❑ Groin pain and hernia (suggestive of aortocaval fistula) ❑ Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (suggestive of aortoduodenal fistula)

Obtain a detailed history: ❑ History to find out the risk factors for development of aneurysm ❑ Hyperlipidemia ❑ Connective tissue disorder ❑ Marfan syndrome ❑ Ehlers-Danlos syndrome ❑ Relapsing polychondritis ❑ Pseudoxanthoma elasticum ❑ Polycystic kidney disease ❑ Loeys-Dietz syndrome ❑ Turner's syndrome ❑ COPD (Emphysema) ❑ Hypertension ❑ History to find out the risk factors for expansion of aneurysm ❑ Cardiac or renal transplant ❑ Stroke ❑ Cardiac disease ❑ History to find out the risk factors for rupture of aneurysm ❑ Female gender ❑ Cardiac or renal transplant ❑ Hypertension ❑ Family history ❑ Abdominal aortic aneurysm ❑ Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency ❑ Past Medical History ❑ Diabetes mellitus (Negatively associated with AAA) ❑ Atherosclerosis ❑ Peripheral artery disease ❑ Giant cell arteritis ❑ Hemorrhoids ❑ Esophageal varices ❑ Social History ❑ Smoking History (Strongest risk factor) (smoked at some point in their life) ❑ Alcohol History ❑ Anatomic deformities ❑ Bicuspid aortic valve ❑ Coarctation of the aorta ❑ Infections of the aorta (aortitis)(very rare) ❑ Syphilis ❑ Salmonella ❑ Staphylococcus ❑ Trauma ❑ Arteritis ❑ Cystic medial necrosis

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Treatment

Shown below is an algorithm summarizing the treatment of Abdominal aortic aneurysm according the the [...] guidelines.

Don'ts

Vitals
❑ Temperature

❑ Fever (suggestive of infected aneurysm)

❑ Pulse

❑ Rate

❑ Tachycardia (suggestive of aneurysmal rupture)

❑ Strength

❑ Weak (suggestive of hemorrhage due to aneurysmal rupture)

❑ Symmetry

❑ Asymmetric carotid and radial pulse (suggestive of aortic dissection)

❑ Blood pressure
❑ Hypotension (Classical presentation of symptomatic and ruptured)

❑ Respiratory rate
❑ Tachypnea (suggestive of ruptured aneurysm)

Neck
❑ Elevated jugular venous pressure (suggestive of heart failure) ❑ Carotid bruits (suggestive of cerebrovascular disease)

Lungs
❑ Pulmonary edema and rales (suggestive of heart failure)
❑ Wheezing (suggestive of heart failure)

❑ Rales (suggestive of heart failure)  

Abdomen
❑ Pulsatile abdominal mass
❑ Tenderness to palpation (suggestive of inflammatory or infected aneurysms) ❑ Signs suggestive of retroperitoneal hematoma

❑ Flank ecchymosis (Grey-Turner sign)Grey-turner's sign

❑ Periumbilical ecchymosis (Cullen's sign)

❑ Ecchymosis of the proximal thigh (Fox’s sign)

❑ Discoloration of the scrotum (Bryant’s sign)(only in males)

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Extremities
❑ Absent femoral or pedal pulses (suggestive of peripheral artery disease)
❑ Popliteal,femoral aneurysm (supports diagnosis of Abdominal aortic aneurysm)
❑ Edema

Neurologic
❑ Altered mental status
❑ Glasgow coma scale of___
❑ Clonus
❑ Hyperactive reflexes
❑ Deficits in cranial nerves ___

❑ Carotid arteries (e.g., pulse amplitude, bruits)
❑ Abdominal aorta (e.g., size, bruits)
❑ Femoral arteries (e.g., pulse amplitude, bruits)
❑ Pedal pulses (e.g., pulse amplitude)
Abdominal examination
❑ Inspection

❑ Abdominal distention

❑ Palpation

❑ Presence of abdominal mass, abdominal tenderness, rebound tenderness, renal angle tenderness

❑ Examination of the liver and spleen

❑ Hepatomegaly

❑ Splenomegaly

❑ Examination for the presence or absence of hernias