Arteriosclerotic Abdominal Aneurysms

Abstract

Of 838 patients examined by intravenous aortography, 200 were found to have abdominal aneurysms. Within these 200 consecutive cases, there was a greater incidence of the disease in males than in females, and in both sexes the incidence of disease tended to increase with age, 96% of the abdominal aneurysms being in the sixth to eighth decades. Significant data regarding the size, shape, and location of the aneurysm and the runoff were secured. In 55% of the cases, thrombus lined by calcium was present underscoring the importance of scrutinizing all abdominal films in the elderly. Successful resection of the aneurysm was possible in 41.5% of the cases, with a mortality of 6.5%. In contrast, 38% of the patients were denied operation because of serious cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, and cerebrovascular disease and metastatic cancer.