In the past 30 years, the occurrence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) has increased threefold. AAA is caused by a weakened area in the main vessel that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body. When blood flows through the aorta, the pressure of the blood beats against the weakened wall, which then bulges like a balloon. If the balloon grows large enough, there is a danger that it will burst. Most commonly, aortic aneurysms occur in the portion of the vessel below the renal artery origins. The aneurysm may extend into the vessels supplying the hips and pelvis.

Once an aneurysm reaches 5cm in diameter, it is usually considered necessary to treat to prevent rupture. Below 5cm, the risk of the aneurysm rupturing is lower than the risk of conventional surgery in patients with normal surgical risks. The goal of therapy for aneurysms is to prevent them from rupturing. Once an abdominal aortic aneurysm has ruptured, the chances of survival are low, with 80% to 90% of all ruptured aneurysms resulting in death. These deaths can be avoided if an aneurysm is detected and treated before it ruptures.

AAA affects as many as 80% of people over the age of 60.

• Approximately one in every 250 people over the age of 50 will die of a raptured AAA.
• AAA affects as many as 8% of people over the age of 60.
• Males are four times more likely to have AAA than females.
• Those at highest risk are males over the age of 60 who have ever smoked and/or who have a history of atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”).
• Those with a family history of AAA are at a higher risk (particularly if the relative with AAA was female).
• 50% of patients with AAA who do not undergo treatment die of a rapture.