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Research Highlights
VA Study Shows Smaller Aneurysms Best Left Alone
Taken from the Veterans Health Administration Highlights dated May 10, 2002
A VA Cooperative Studies Program funded study has found that although abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) can be deadly if they rupture, it is better not to correct the problem with surgery unless the aneurysm exceeds a certain size. The common hazards of surgery can be the greater threat unless the aneurysm is larger than 5.5 centimeters in diameter, according to findings published in the May 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
According to Dr. Frank Lederle, a medical researcher at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, repair of a smaller aneurysm does not benefit the patient and may present greater risks than the aneurysm itself. Most of these smaller aneurysms will never rupture, therefore the goal is to repair the AAAs that will burst and not others."
The abdominal aorta is part of the aorta, a major artery that delivers blood from the heart to internal organs in the lower part of the body. Aneurysms are blood-filled dilations that occur when the walls of the aorta weaken and bulge. They are fairly common, particularly among older men who have smoked, but most of them never rupture. All patients face certain risks in surgery, including potentially deadly complications such as heart failure or infection.
Dr. Lederle and his colleagues believe that guidelines based on their findings could result in at least 20 percent fewer repairs. This could mean fewer deaths and better treatment options for patients. Researchers also suspect the guidelines could be cost effective as well.
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