[Selective screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms by using the clinical examination and ultrasonic scanning]

The results of screening for asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in patients with great artery lesions and arterial hypertension (n = 163) are analyzed in the paper. Ten aneurysms were detected. These included 9 fusiform aneurysms, mean 43 +/- 3 mm in diameter and 1 ampullar one, 32 x 33 mm. The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms was 7.2% in the risk group. It is concluded that palpation is of low informative value in the detection and differential diagnosis of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms of small diameter and in this respect ultrasonic scanning is of high informative value. It is concluded that the target-oriented screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms is essential and cost-effective in angiological patients, especially in concomitance of chronic lower extremity ischemia and arterial hypertension, as well as in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms (except for posttraumatic ones).