[Infrarenal aortic aneurysm: results of surgical treatment]

Between 1976 and 1987 93 patients with an infrarenal aortic aneurysm underwent surgical correction. In 62 patients the procedure was performed electively, whilst 13 displayed an unstable aneurysm and in 18 cases a ruptured aneurysm was present at operation. During the past 5 years the mortality was lowered to 2% in elective cases, whereas in cases of ongoing rupture only moderate improvement took place. The most frequent cause of a lethal outcome was pump failure of the heart (6 times), followed by renal insufficiency and haemorrhagic shock and bleeding complications. Among the non-lethal complications, relaparotomy on the basis of postoperative bleeding ranks first, followed by pulmonary insufficiency, peripheral emboli and partial ischemia of the spine. Resection of infrarenal aneurysms should be performed in the stable state of disease, since insufficiency of multiple vital organ systems increases the mortality by up to 20 fold.