Aortic aneurysm disease is one of the diseases that affect people over the age of fifty, and it is a more common disease among men than among women, as research has estimated that the incidence among men has reached 9 times the incidence among women, in this article we will learn about aortic aneurysm disease and the symptoms that appear in patients with it, and how to treat it with Prof. Dr. Hossam El-Mahdy,The Best Vascular Surgeon.
What is the Aorta?
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It connects the heart with the rest of the body. It is the main artery that transports clean blood leaving the heart to the arteries and small blood vessels throughout the body, through the great blood circulation that starts from the left ventricle in the heart to the right atrium at the end of the cycle.
• About 6 to 7 liters of blood flows per minute through the aorta, and the amount varies according to the person's weight and height.
• The aorta heads from the left ventricle and runs along the chest and abdominal space, then it divides into the thoracic aorta, known as the aorta in the chest area, and the abdominal aorta in the abdominal area, which is the most prone to hypertrophy due to the small number of fibers in it compared to those in the aorta.
What are the symptoms of aortic aneurysm?
Aortic aneurysm has no symptoms at first and the disease is often discovered by chance, so it is recommended that older people, over 65 years old, get an abdominal ultrasound annually.
The following are the most common symptoms caused by an abdominal aortic aneurysm:
• Various and sudden pains in the abdomen with pulsating swelling.
• Back pain as a result of pressure on the spine.
• Swelling in the legs as a result of pressure on the vena cava.
• Bleeding during urination or during the process of excreting.
• Complete loss of consciousness.
• The presence of flatulence in the abdomen.
Symptoms of aortic aneurysm vary according to the case, they differ from one patient to another due to the health condition of each patient individually, in addition to the degree of the aneurysm in the aorta.
What are the causes of abdominal aortic aneurysm disease?
An aortic aneurysm is an aneurysm that is more than 50% larger than normal. There are many causes of abdominal aortic aneurysm, and these reasons are:
• Accumulation of various fats on the inner wall of the blood vessel.
• The presence of infections caused by bacterial and fungal infections in the area of the aorta.
• Exposure to trauma and accidents, where sudden shocks or accidents are the cause of the aortic aneurysm.
• Diseases that affect blood vessels that lead to aneurysm of the aorta.
• Hypertension is one of the most important reasons that lead to the weakness and dilation of the aorta.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm complications:
A patient with aortic aneurysm is exposed to many complications and health risks in the absence of treatment, and these complications include:
• The occurrence of internal bleeding in the body as a result of the explosion of the aorta and death rates may reach 90% for those cases.
• Rupture of the aorta due to the weakness of the vessel wall due to its aneurysm.
Therefore, the patient should beware of these complications by visiting the doctor and the necessary and continuous follow-up, in order to ensure his safety and do the following:
• Conducting the necessary medical examinations, including ultrasound examination.
• Taking medications that control blood pressure to stop the rapid deterioration of the aortic aneurysm.
• Refrain from smoking completely because it leads to an increase in complications.
Risk factors:
In the previous lines, we learned about the complications that lead to increased aneurysm and rupture of the aorta in the absence of treatment, there are many factors that increase the risk of developing an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta, and the following are the most important of those factors:
• Age: Age is one of the factors that determine the risk of aortic aneurysm.
Where many studies have shown that injury occurs to the elderly more than any other group.
• Chronic diseases: such as atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes.
• Smoking: Smokers are more exposed than others to aortic aneurysms and ruptures, in addition to serious health complications as a result.
• Being overweight: Excessive obesity is one of the factors that increase the complications of aortic aneurysm disease.
• Genetic factors: it may be the cause of the beginning of the aortic aneurysm, as the injury of a family member to the aortic aneurysm undoubtedly increases the complications and seriousness of this disease.
• The presence of immune diseases: such as Behçet's disease, and genetic diseases.
Aortic aneurysm treatment:
Diagnosis is made by doing a CT scan to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Treatment methods differ according to each individual case, as cases are divided according to the amount of aneurysm into:
• Aneurysm that does not exceed 5 cm: It is recommended to monitor, which is a state of waiting that begins with the steps of treating an aortic aneurysm, where the doctor performs many accurate examinations and various tests of the patient regularly to determine the size of the aneurysm in the aorta and follow all the advices to prevent the aneurysm from worsening.
• Aneurysm that exceeds 5 cm: intervention is required to prevent complications of aortic aneurysm, and the intervention is either through open surgery or the placement of a stent.
The Stent of aortic aneurysm details:
Dr. Hossam El-Mahdy places an artificial artery that is attached to a stent in the abdominal aorta, specifically after the renal arteries to ensure proper blood perfusion to the kidneys, thus isolating the aneurysm from the blood path.
The procedure is done through two openings in the upper thigh artery depending on the catheter. Placement of a stent in the Aorta is a treatment method that has proven results in treating aortic aneurysm.
As for The Cost of the Aortic Aneurysm Treatment Procedure, it depends on several factors, including the cost of the surgeon, hospital stay, the type of stent and the techniques and tools used in the stent placement.
How to prevent an artery aneurysm or prevent it from expanding:
Prevention is always better than cure, so there are many factors to prevent and prevent aortic aneurysm. These factors are:
Avoid smoking:
Smoking is considered one of the dangerous factors that increase the complications and risks of aortic aneurysm disease.
Doing exercise:
The individual should exercise on a daily basis, as exercise helps to get rid of fats, control cholesterol in the blood, and control blood pressure.
Continuously measure blood pressure:
It is known that hypertension may be one of the factors and causes that lead to aortic aneurysm disease, so the pressure patient must measure it daily, and periodically follow up with the doctor in the event of a sudden rise.
Healthy eating:
It is important for everyone to eat a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals and low-fat proteins, and eat healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts.
Avoid high-calorie foods:
Such as fast food, soft drinks, foods rich in triglycerides, trans fats, and foods rich in sodium.
Dear reader, we would like to assure you that there are modern, non-surgical and less invasive ways to treat aortic aneurysm with the most skilled and best doctor, Dr. Hossam El-Mahdy, Professor of Vascular Surgery at El-Qasr Al-Aini, Cairo University.
The Merge between Experience and Skills in perfect proportions is the reason of Prof. Dr. Hossam El-Mahdy's success, and that is exactly what he presents to you through his proven surgical excellence, to allow you to have healthy blood vessels.
