title: A nurse-run clinic for patients with incidentally discovered small abdominal aortic aneurysms is feasible and cost-effective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with incidentally discovered small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) require assessment by a vascular surgery department for possible enrollment in a surveillance programme. Our unit implemented a vascular nurse-run AAA clinic in October 2010. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a specialist nurse-run small AAA clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and clinical data were collected prospectively for all patients seen in the new vascular nurse clinic between October 2010 and November 2012. A validated AAA operative mortality score was used to aid decision making by the vascular nurse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some 250 patients were seen in the clinic. 198 (79.2%) patients were enrolled in surveillance, 40 (16%) declined enrollment and 12 (4.8%) were referred to a consultant clinic for further assessment. The majority of patients were male and the mean age was 73.7 years. Co-morbidities included hypertension, a history of cardiovascular disease, and hyperlipidaemia. The majority of referrals were considered to be low operative risk. No aneurysms ruptured whilst under surveillance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nurse-run clinic that assesses patients with incidentally discovered small AAAs for inclusion in AAA surveillance is a feasible alternative to assessment of these patients in a consultant-run clinic.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Perth Royal Infirmary, UK jon.griffin@nhs.net.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Christchurch Public Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Christchurch Public Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roake
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000191:economics; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm; nurse-run clinic; surveillance