Abdominal Pain in the Presence of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: If in Doubt, Cut It Out!
Although small (<5 cm) abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have been associated with symptoms and indication for intervention scarcely, the clinicians should never exclude such potential association especially in the absence of other overt pathological findings. In such cases, a surgical exploration with consequent intervention, if feasible, should be justified to prevent a detrimental evolution in a dubious scenario. In this article, we present 2 cases of patients with small AAA presenting with severe abdominal pain. In the absence of other solid clinical and radiological pathological findings, both patients underwent laparotomy where an inflammatory small AAA was identified and subjected either to resection and restoration with a tube graft or secondary endovascular repair because the periaortic fibrosis precluded the open repair. The characteristics and rationale of treatment modalities are exemplified and discussed.
Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece; Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. Electronic address: efstratiosgeorg@gmail.com.
Efstratios
E
Georgakarakos
Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Nikolaos
N
Schoretsanitis
Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Georgios
G
Koufopoulos
Department of General Surgery, Sismanogleion General Hospital of Komotini, Komotini, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Paulou
Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece; Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Miltos K
MK
Lazarides
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012185:Retroperitoneal Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome