Thirthy-eighthy cases of abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA) were surgically treated between January 1991 and December 1995 at the dept. of surgery, Chonnam University Hospital. Patients were divided into 20 elective cases and 18 emergency cases and
analysed
on the basis of sex, age, chief complaints, associated diseases, size of aneurysm, operating time, mortality and cause of death. The Initial presentation was usually abdominal or back pain in elective cases, but palpable mass and abdominal
distension in
emergency cases were ruptured. There was no positive relationship between the size of AAA and the incidency of the rupture. There were no elective cases, but 12 ruptured AAAs died in 18 emergency cases(66.7%). Overall surgical mortality was
31.3%.
The
causes of death were postoperative bleeding(5), acute renal failure(3), myocardial infarction(3), and sepsis(1).
For AAAs, surgical intervention is recommended and operation must be performed before rupture regardless of the size.
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