Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a commonly found disease affecting approximately 7–9 % of the population over the age of 65 years with higher prevalence in those that are smokers [1]. It is a lethal disease with those presenting with ruptured AAAs having an overall mortality of over 90 %. Annually, ruptured AAA accounts for approximately 15,000 deaths in the United States, and it is the 15th leading cause of death. Unfortunately, the first clinical presentation of an AAA is when it ruptured [2]. The classic triad of abdominal pain, pulsatile abdominal mass, and hypotension is presented in only 25–50 % of patients, and many patients with ruptured AAA are misdiagnosed [3, 4]. In recent years, endovascular therapy has advanced and is now the first-line treatment of ruptured AAA. Endovascular aneurysm repair for ruptured AAA has led to reduce mortality with centers of excellence reporting 30-day mortality as low as 25 % with an endovascular first approach and formalized treatment protocols [5, 6]. As such, the rapid recognition and diagnose of a ruptured AAA is critical so that the patient can be appropriately triaged and offered definitive lifesaving therapy.
Aneurysm of the abdominal aorta is very often diagnosed when not present, and when present, the symptoms may be so obscure that the nature of the trouble is overlooked.Sir William Osler, 1905
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Tran, N.T. (2017). Background Scope of the Problem. In: Starnes, B., Mehta, M., Veith, F. (eds) Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23844-9_2
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