Aortic Aneurysm

Aortic aneurysm (sometimes a call to aortic aneurysm) is a condition characterized by the appearance of a lump in the aortic wall or weakening of the aortic wall. The aorta is the main and largest blood vessel of the human body that is able to drain oxygen-containing blood from the heart throughout the body.

If the aortic aneurysm is left, the aortic wall can rupture and can cause bleeding with the risk of death. There are two types of aortic aneurysms, namely:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm. This is the most common type of aortic aneurysm. In this condition, enlargement or size occurs at the bottom of the aorta.
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm. In this condition, enlargement or attenuation occurs in the superior aorta.
• Aneurysm of the thoraco-abdominal aorta. This type of aneurysm occurs between the top and bottom of the aorta.

 Some risk factors for aortic aneurysm are:

• Smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Over 65 years.
• Suffered from hypertension.
• Suffering from atherosclerosis.
• Ask a family member to suffer from aortic aneurysm.
• Male sex.
• White skin.
• Suffered from another aneurysm.
• Suffered from Marfan syndrome or other genetic disorders.

Symptoms of aortic aneurysm

Aortic aneurysms are usually difficult to detect because they often develop slowly and without symptoms. In the case of abdominal aortic aneurysm, the following symptoms may be felt by the patient:

• Persistent pain in the stomach or beside the stomach.
• Back pain.
• Pulsation around the navel.

Consider that in the case of aortic thoracic aneurysm, some of the symptoms that may appear are:

• cough
• The voice became hoarse.
• Hard to breathe.
• Pain in the chest or chest becomes sensitive.
• Back pain.

Causes of aortic aneurysm

The cause of the emergence of aortic aneurysm has not been known with certainty until now. But several factors trigger the emergence of aortic aneurysms, namely:

• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
• Aortic infection or other untreated body parts.
• Genetic disorders.
• Injury.

Aortic aneurysm diagnosis

In case of suspicion of aortic aneurysm, the doctor will advise the patient to carry out a number of examinations, namely:

• Imaging Doctors can recommend patients to do abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI or MRA.
• Genetic examination. If a patient's family member suffers from Marfan syndrome or other genetic disorders, the doctor can then ask the patient to undergo a genetic test.

Treatment of aortic aneurysm

The goal of treatment of aortic aneurysms is to prevent rupture of the aortic artery. If the size of the aneurysm is still small and the patient does not feel any symptoms, the doctor will advise him to undergo a routine medical examination to monitor the development of the aneurysm.

For people with abdominal aortic aneurysms, doctors usually recommend surgery if the aneurysm is between 5 and 5.5 centimeters or more. Some types of surgery to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms are:

• An open procedure to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms which consists of removing the damaged aortic part and replacing it with a synthetic tube.
• Endovascular Surgery. In this procedure, the doctor will attach a synthetic graft to the end of the catheter which will be inserted into the aorta through an artery from the patient's leg.

For people suffering from aortic thoracic aneurysm, the doctor will take several treatment measures, such as:

• Provides medicines to reduce the risk of aneurysm complications. Examples are statins, beta blockers and angiotensin II receptor blockers.
• Surgery to prevent aneurysm rupture. Examples are open thoracic surgery, endovascular surgery and heart valve repair surgery.

In addition, the doctor will also advise the patient to stop smoking if he smokes, because this can worsen the condition of the aneurysm.
Complications of aortic aneurysm

The main complication that can be experienced by people with aortic aneurysm is a tear or rupture of the aortic wall. Some symptoms of aortic wall rupture include:

• Severe pain that suddenly appears in the abdomen, chest, or back.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Hypotension
• The pain spreads in the back or leg.
• Excessive sweating.
• Hard to breathe.
• Trouble swallowing.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Stunned.
• Heart beating fast.
• Appearance of signs of stroke, such as weakness, partial paralysis or difficulty speaking.
• Loss of consciousness

Apart from aortic rupture, aortic aneurysm can cause blood clots. These small blood clots that form in aortic aneurysms can also cause serious complications to other parts of the body.

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