A primer on infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms have an alarmingly high mortality rate that often exceeds 50%, even when patients survive long enough to be transported to hospitals. Historical data have shown that ruptures are especially likely to occur with aneurysms measuring ≥6 cm in diameter, but there are so many exceptions to this that several randomized clinical trials have been done in an attempt to determine whether smaller aneurysms should be repaired electively as soon as they are discovered. More recently, further trials have been conducted in order to compare the relative benefits and disadvantages of modern endovascular aneurysm repair to those of traditional open surgery. This review summarizes current evidence from randomized trials and large population-based datasets regarding two questions that are uppermost in the mind of virtually every patient who is found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Should it be fixed? What are the risks?