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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

An Approach to Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta
07:12

An Approach to Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta

Published on: September 8, 2023

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm among patients referred to the vascular laboratory is cost-effective

K Mani1, M Alund, M Björck

  • 1Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Vascular Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. kevin.mani@surgsci.uu.se

European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery : the Official Journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery
|November 28, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Selective screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in high-risk patients is cost-effective. Despite lower survival rates in screened individuals, the ultrasound screening program demonstrated value in a vascular laboratory setting.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Public Health
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is recommended for high-risk groups but debated due to comorbidities and reduced life expectancy.
  • Evaluating the long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness of selective AAA screening in patients referred for arterial examinations is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the long-term outcomes of patients screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a vascular laboratory.
  • To determine the cost-effectiveness of selective AAA screening in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrasound screening for AAA (defined as > or = 30 mm) was performed on 5,924 patients referred to a university hospital vascular laboratory between 1993 and 2005.
  • Outcome data were collected from hospital records and the national population registry, with health-economic evaluation using a Markov model.

Main Results:

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) was detected in 181 patients (mean age 72.8 years); 21.5% underwent elective repair with 5.1% perioperative mortality.
  • Relative 5-year survival for screened AAA patients was 80.4% compared to the general Swedish population.
  • The cost-effectiveness was robust, estimated at 11,084 Euro per life year gained.

Conclusions:

  • Patients diagnosed with AAA through selective screening exhibited poorer long-term survival and lower surgical intervention rates compared to those in prior studies.
  • Selective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening conducted within a vascular laboratory setting proved to be cost-effective.
Abstract

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