[Guidelines for the management of the abdominal aortic aneurysm: a comparison of the 1992 to the 2003 recommendations].
In this paper a comparison is made between the recommendations for the management of the abdominal aortic aneurysm in 1992, to the recommendations published in 2003, through different subcommittees of the Society for Vascular Surgery and American Association for Vascular Surgery. Substantive differences, in the format and content can be found, due to the enormous progress and technical achievements occurred during that period of time, the endovascular treatment becoming the most important and relevant but not yet regarded as valid alternative to the conventional surgical treatment, being indicated only in particular and well defined circumstances. But despite that fact, the spirit of the recommendations seems to be heavily influenced by the large transformations in the health care organisation and management area, occurred during that period of time, together with the powerful forces and interest moving around the medical act, a fact that allow us to conclude, according to the H E Sigerist's statement that "...changes in medical concepts are tightly connected to the culture as a whole, and are influenced by the changes of the ideas of each epoch".
da Gama
A Dinis
AD
Clinica Universitária de Cirurgia Vascular do Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa.
D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods