Well what the above title really means is a section of your abdominal aorta becomes enlarged more than 10 times the normal size and thinned out. That's the definition Andrew gave me anyway.
I was chatting with Andrew yesterday night, and he told me about this patient who had AAA and refused to have surgery done.
Anyway it ended up with her anuerysm bursting, and she was wheeled into theatre where her anuerysm was repaired. They discovered a huge amount of blood pooled in her anterior peritoneal cavity.
Subsequently, she passed away in the intensive care unit.
Haihss, so sad to hear this story....
Anyway, Andrew reminded me that in case next time I see an elderly person with back ache and collapse to think of the differential diagnosis of abdominal aortic anuerysm.
Why back ache?
Cause the aorta is retroperitoneal, just in front of the spine, and enlargement of the aorta will compress against the spine, causing the back ache.
Whereas the collapse is caused by loss of blood due to rupture of the aorta from the anuerysm.
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