Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Here's a scan of my Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), taken at King's on January 4. The width is 4.97 cm, compared with the previous measurement of 4.5 cm, taken October 16, 2008..

An AAA is a thin section of the wall of the aorta that bulges outward. Its weaker than normal artery wall and may not withstand the pressure of blood inside - though at the bulge, the pressure is less than in the rest of the aorta by the normal laws of hydrodynamics. If the width is greater than 5.5 cm the odds on rupture are higher and the risk increases with size, though surgery isn't normally indicated until it gets to 6 cm. At the rate of increase between the last two scans, that point would be reached in about 2 1/2 years.