Giant abdominal aortic aneurysms: clinical and technical considerations

A systematic review and case presentation: Giant abdominal aortic aneurysm

OBJECTIVE

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is considered giant when its transverse diameter is greater than 10-13 cm in diameter. A giant abdominal aortic aneurysm is rare but with a significant risk of rupture if it is not diagnosed or left untreated.

METHOD

The authors have performed a systematic review of the evidence that has looked into the clinical presentations, and management methods employed and have presented a 14 cm giant abdominal aortic aneurysm patient.

RESULTS

The systematic review has been based on level-IV evidence due to the rarity of the condition. The final analysis included 61 relevant reported cases. The mean age was 72.4 years, the male to female ratio was 52: 8, and the average size of a giant abdominal aortic aneurysm was 14.7 cm. These were mostly infra renal (72.58%). Rupture of these aneurysms was found in 23 (37.1%) patients, and was treated by laparotomy in 51 (82.25%) cases. There were 11 (17.74%) mortalities.

CONCLUSION

The size of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is known to be the biggest factor in the rupture of an aneurysm. The reason abdominal aortic aneurysms can reach such size without rupturing is unclear but needs further exploring. Early diagnosis with effective screening programmes is essential to diagnose in a timely manner to avoid life-threatening consequences.

Successful treatment of giant abdominal aortic aneurysm with chronic contained rupture diagnosed at the onset of acute retrograde type A aortic dissection: A case report

INTRODUCTION

It is rare for two critical diseases, namely a giant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and acute type A aortic dissection (TAAD), to be detected simultaneously, and in such instances, management is extremely difficult.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 64-year-old man who presented to our hospital with a chief complaint of sudden back pain and vomiting was diagnosed with acute retrograde TAAD and a giant AAA with chronic contained rupture (CCR) via computed tomography. We initially managed the acute TAAD conservatively and subsequently performed laparotomy for the AAA 3 months later. During open surgery, we performed vascular reconstruction using a tailor-made tapering graft.

DISCUSSION

Emergency surgery is recommended for AAA with CCR or retrograde TAAD with a patent false lumen, and the prognosis of conservative treatments for these cases is currently unknown. However, concurrent surgery for this condition is extremely invasive. Fortunately, the patient in this case survived the acute phase, and laparotomy for the AAA could be safely performed during the chronic phase of the TAAD.

CONCLUSION

We successfully treated a giant AAA with CCR by selecting the appropriate surgical timing and method. In cases of combined CCR of a giant AAA and retrograde TAAD, conservative management may be attempted to convert the acute dissection to a chronic one, thereby allowing elective repair of the AAA.

Giant abdominal aortic aneurysms

Giant abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are defined as AAAs >10 to 13 cm in the maximum transverse diameter. We have described a case of a patient who had presented for open repair of an 18-cm AAA and a review of reported cases of giant AAAs >10 cm in the maximum transverse diameter. Forty cases were compiled. The average maximum AAA diameter was 14.5 ± 4.1 cm. The AAA was ruptured on presentation in 12 patients (30%). Of the 40 cases, 34 (85%) were repaired with open surgery. The reported mortality was 15%. Despite the case complexity, five endovascular repairs were attempted.

Surgical Repair of a 13-cm Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Aortocaval Fistula in a 63-Year-Old Tuba Player

Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with aortocaval fistula, a rare condition, can be fatal without prompt intervention. The clinical symptoms are complex and varied, so diagnosis is typically confirmed by use of contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography. We report our surgical repair of a 13-cm-diameter infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortocaval fistula in a 63-year-old orchestral tuba player who had 2 classic symptoms of the condition. The unruptured aneurysm and fistula were complicated by acutely angled vessels, so we performed surgery rather than endovascular repair. The patient recovered fully and was discharged from the hospital. This infrarenal aneurysm with aortocaval fistula is perhaps the largest to have been treated successfully by means of open surgery. In addition to our patient's case, we discuss the history and treatment considerations of this rare combined condition.

Repeat Rupture of a Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm after EVAR

Introduction

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are known to be associated with high fatal outcomes. Giant AAAs are often defined as having a maximum diameter over 13 cm. Large AAAs over 8 cm have demonstrated a yearly rupture rate of 30–50%, which explains the rarity of giant AAAs. Endovascular repair of ruptured AAAs (rAAAs) is increasingly advocated because of the shorter hospital stay and fewer post-operative complications. Nonetheless, outcomes regarding mortality and cost-effectiveness show a large variability and long-term outcomes are lacking. Few data have been published on treatment of giant AAAs and rAAAs; however, open surgery is generally the preferred option.

Report

An 83 year old presented to the Emergency Department with a history of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm treated with an aorto-uni-iliac endograft and a femorofemoral crossover bypass. During follow up, this was complicated by a symptomatic type III endoleak, which was treated by endovascular repair. During the current admission, he presented with a re-rupture of his former aneurysm, which now was 18 cm diameter because of a type IA endoleak. Open surgical repair was performed and the post-operative course was without complications.

Discussion

The current case underlines the value of vascular surgeons being able to perform both open and endovascular surgery in rAAA.

Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION

Giant abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), defined as those measuring greater than 13.0 cm in transverse diameter, represent a rare clinical entity and present unique anatomic challenges.

METHODS

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained aneurysm database from 2000 to 2013 was performed at a single academic referral center. Preoperative comorbid status, aneurysm characteristics, procedural details, and perioperative course were recorded for all patients.

RESULTS

Four patients (male, n = 3) with a mean age of 75.2 years (range, 71-80 years) underwent open repair of giant AAAs. The mean AAA size was 14.4 cm (range, 13.2-15.5 cm). All giant AAAs were associated with neck length <10 mm and/or severe neck angulation. At a mean follow-up of 22 months, there has been 1 late death due to nonaneurysm-related causes.

CONCLUSION

Due to anatomic limitation with currently available aortic endografts, giant AAAs have been traditionally repaired using a standard open surgical approach. The feasibility of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with or without the use of adjunct techniques, including snorkel/chimney or fenestrated EVAR, has yet to be elucidated.

Endovascular repair of a complex giant infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm

Giant aortic aneurysms (transverse diameter greater than 10.0 cm) are rare and open surgery is often the treatment of choice. We report an infrarenal saccular giant aortic aneurysm (measuring 25 cm in transverse diameter), which was treated with endovascular repair, with immediate technical success. No similar report of a giant infrarenal aortic aneurysm treated with an endovascular technique was found in the literature. High-risk patients could possibly benefit from the endovascular technique. Nevertheless, patient survival remains strongly influenced by comorbidities.