title: Ten-year outcome of patients with very small abdominal aortic aneurysm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long-term fate of very small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is not well known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients with asymptomatic small AAA (range 25 to 40 mm) underwent ultrasonographic surveillance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up period was 7.3 years. The median linear aneurysm expansion rate was 2.0 mm/year (range 0 to 8.4). Three patients experienced aneurysm rupture (7.3%) which resulted in 1 patient'death. Thirteen patients underwent aneurysm repair (31.7%) and 1 patient died postoperatively (7.7%). The survival rate at 10-year follow-up was 59.0%. The survival rate free from aneurysm rupture and repair at 10-year follow-up was 69.9%. The median time for occurrence of aneurysm rupture was 4.9 years (range 1.8 to 10.5) and the need for aneurysm repair was 4.5 years (range 1.4 to 10.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fate of very small AAA is to slowly enlarge in size, sometimes threatening the patient's life. These observations underline the importance of continuous surveillance and the potential benefits of any medical treatment in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 22, 90221 Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biancari
authors.forename: Martti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mosorin
authors.forename: Vesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Satta
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Juvonen
authors.forename: Tatu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juvonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography