[Growth curves of abdominal aortic aneurysms]

79 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms were repeatedly examined by ultrasound to gain information about growth rate and prognosis. 67 small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms showed an average growth rate of 0.22 cm per year. 12 big aneurysms had a growth rate of 0.59 cm per year. The individual plots were highly variable. Only 5% of the patients died of rupture of the aneurysms, while 15% died of heart failure, myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident. Thus, the prognosis of small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms is better than in the medical literature of older date.