Hematuria associated with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

A retrospective study of the Staten Island University Hospital experience with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) was undertaken. The study covered a 58 month period and included 30 patients. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship of ruptured AAA with hematuria. We specifically investigated (1) the incidence of hematuria in patients with ruptured AAA, (2) weather the presence of hematuria in these patients led to a delay in the diagnosis of ruptured AAA, and (3) if the presence of hematuria adversely effected survival as a function of causing a delay in diagnosis. The data revealed an 87% incidence of hematuria in ruptured AAA. Furthermore, gross hematuria was found to cause a statistically significant delay in arriving at the diagnosis of a ruptured AAA. This delay however could not be demonstrated to adversely affect patient survival.