Do I need surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

  Perhaps people are still relatively new to abdominal aortic aneurysm, but in fact this disease is not uncommon. Einstein and Li Siguang had the disease of abdominal aortic aneurysm. The abdominal aorta is the large artery in the abdomen of the human body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a disease caused by a certain degree of dilatation and expansion of the body’s abdominal aorta for some reason. Aneurysm is not the same as what we usually understand as a tumor. A tumor is a growth in the body that grows larger and larger. At a certain point, the tumor can invade surrounding organs or metastasize to distant organs. Unlike abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is an enlargement of the abdominal aorta, it is like blowing up a balloon. It is a benign disease in itself, but it is very aggressive. If the abdominal aorta suddenly enlarges and dilates to a certain extent, it is likely to rupture and cause a fatal hemorrhage, as if the balloon has been blown up. The abdominal aorta is the part of the body with a relatively high incidence of aneurysms in the large arteries. It is most common in the elderly and in people with atherosclerosis. The incidence of aneurysms is about 8% among 65-year-olds.  Generally speaking, aneurysms under 3 or 4 cm and without symptoms can be treated conservatively without surgery for the time being. Conservative treatment means controlling atherosclerosis, changing bad habits, such as quitting smoking, adjusting diet structure, and controlling high blood pressure. At the same time, ultrasound Doppler examination or CT examination should be done every six months to a year to understand the progress rate of aneurysm and the change of size. When the aneurysm has reached 4 or 5 cm or more, surgical intervention should be considered. Because at this time, the chances of aneurysm rupture are higher and the risk is very high.