I think I have a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm – What should I do?

If you think you are at risk of having an aneurysm OR have a family history of aneurysm you should:

See your GP: If you are in a high risk group, experiencing some pain or if you are visiting your GP for routine reasons, get a check for AAA with your GP. They may find evidence of an AAA as some can be felt during an abdominal examination. In some instances, patients have been sent for tests for something else and those tests identify the AAA so if you are concerned, please investigate your health with a GP first. If evidence presents of an AAA, your GP will almost always send you onto a Vascular Surgeon.

See a Vascular Surgeon: Our surgeons at Sydney Vascular Surgery will likely send you for tests to determine the size and shape (morphology) of your AAA.

Your surgeon will take a detailed history and perform a physical examination, which will include listening to your heart, examining your abdomen and assessing the pulses in your neck, arms and legs both by hand and with a stethoscope. Your surgeon will then either recommend more tests or recommend a course of treatment.

If your aneurysm is under surveillance (ie; it is asymptomatic and smaller than the treatment cut-off size), you would normally have a non-invasive ultrasound at a specialised vascular ultrasound practice on a regular basis as advised by your Vascular Surgeon.

If your aneurysm requires treatment you will require a CT angiogram of the aorta so that your surgeon can look very closely at how to best treat it. Sometimes your surgeon will want to perform a diagnostic angiogram themselves if they want to clarify anything that the CT doesn’t.

It is common for your surgeon to also request that you be:

reviewed by a cardiologist before you undertake any surgery

have your renal function assessed and

have your carotid arteries scanned

to ensure there is no other hidden disease present that would put you at higher risk of periprocedural complications.

Course of Treatment will be discussed with you once your surgeon knows the results of your ultrasound/s, tests and consultations. With this information, they are in a great position to advise you on your options for treatment, which could include surgery, surveillance, and adjustment of lifestyle factors and addition of medications.