The prognosis or outcome depends on the size of an aortic aneurysm and its location. Additionally, it further depends on the overall health of the patient, the age, the gender, the value of B.P or blood pressure, and smoking habits. Both smoking and B.P or blood pressure have a severe effect on the development of an aortic aneurysm. The dreaded outcome of an aortic aneurysm is a rupture. A rupture of an aortic aneurysm leads to death unless the patient receives an immediate surgery.
Determination of the risk factors associated with an aneurysm depends on the diameter. An aneurysm grows steadily over the period and expands greater than 5 centimeters in size. Anything above this value jeopardizes the condition of the patient and requires surgery before it ruptures. The annual growth rate of an aneurysm is approximately 10%.
Survival Rates
When there is no treatment for patients who are suffering from an aneurysm that is 5 centimeters above, the survival rate is only 20%. It increases each year and occurrence of further rupture increases the death rate. A rupture in the abdominal aorta results in 80% death risk when compared with others. In several instances, patients die before reaching the hospital for the surgery. Even if the patient arrives in time for the operation, the chances for survival rate falls to 50% only and no surgeon guarantees a successful operation.
Complications
The complications involved in elective surgery are about 2.47%. Numerous centers reported the mortality rate of about 50%. The elative surgery relies on the patient fitness condition, overall health, age, race, the location of an aneurysm, size, and other critical factors. People suffering from other health ailments such as heart diseases and kidney disorders have a higher degree of falling as prey to death upon operating to treat an aneurysm.
Risk of Diameter And Rupture
The risk factors vary from one patient to another, and they vary according to the diameter of an aneurysm. It is possible to predict the inner diameter of an aneurysm and the risk factor associated with the same using the engineering technique – finite element method. The study will provide insight into the wall thickness across the distribution of the aorta. The stress distributions show a relationship with the actual geometry of the abdominal aorta than the diameter alone.
Several observations proved that the wall thickness is not the only cause of an aneurysm. When there is an increase in the stress level of the wall of the aorta, individual experiences a rupture. Therefore, patient stress is also among several reasons for the occurrence of an aortic aneurysm. The doctor calculates both the wall stress and wall strength to estimate and assess the period of rupture.
Assessing the Risk Of Rupture
The following are some developments that are helpful in evaluating the breach of an abdominal aortic aneurysm:
- Abdominal aorta aneurysm wall stress
- The expansion rate of abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Asymmetry degree
- Rupture potential index
- Finite element analysis rupture index
- Biomechanical factors associated with computer analysis
- The geometrical parameters of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The results provided by the tests will offer a chance for a doctor to understand clearly about the prognosis of an aortic aneurysm. It will aid in choosing an appropriate treatment procedure along with the ability to opt for less invasive treatment.
- Mayo Clinic – Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm/symptoms-causes/syc-20350688
- American Heart Association – Aortic Aneurysm: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/aortic-aneurysm
- Cleveland Clinic – Aortic Aneurysm: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17594-aortic-aneurysm
- The American Journal of Surgery – The correlation of wall stress to the rupture site of a recently ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: https://www.americanjournalofsurgery.com/article/0002-9610(93)90226-N/fulltext
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