title: The small abdominal aortic aneurysm: the eternal dilemma.
abstract: In order to evaluate morbidity and mortality after elective resection of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) as it relates to aneurysm size, a retrospective review of 111 elective aneurysmectomies over a 5 year period was undertaken in a VA population. Thirty seven AAA's measured < 5 cm in diameter and 74 were > or = 5 cm by CT scan. Patients with small AAA (S-AAA) were significantly younger (mean 64 years) than those with large AAA (L-AAA) (mean 69 years) (p < 0.003). Both groups were similar with respect to prevalence of cardiovascular, pulmonary and renal disease. Aortic cross-clamping time was significantly shorter in L-AAA, possibly because those with S-AAA had a higher prevalence of associated occlusive disease requiring more femoral anastomoses (p < 0.04). Postoperatively six patients (8%) had a myocardial infarction (MI) in the L-AAA group and four (5%) of these died. In contrast no patient with S-AAA suffered a postoperative MI. The rates of non-cardiac complications and length of hospital stay were not significantly different between the two groups. However, the patients with L-AAA stayed longer in ICU (p < 0.05) and the overall combined morbidity rate was significantly higher in this group (p < 0.02). Our results suggest that resection of S-AAA upon diagnosis in acceptable risk patients appears to be the safest overall therapeutic plan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dryjski
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McGurrin
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Dagher
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ceraolo
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Blackshear
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome