A 5-year Review of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms at a VA Medical Center

We sought to determine the outcome of our policy of following asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneursyms until a maximal diameter of 5 cm is reached before assessing risk factors and need for operative intervention.We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients identified with abdominal aortic aneurysm in our hospital system by ICD code for the past 5 years. We specifically reviewed size of aneurysm, modality of assessment (computed tomography vs ultrasonography), age of patient, whether aneurysm repair had been performed, comorbidities, and current status (living or deceased).Eighty-eight patients were identified with abdominal aortic aneursyms. No ruptured aneurysms were identified in any of the patients that have been followed, regardless of size. All patients who have undergone an aneurysmorrhaphy are currently alive.Our current policy of following abdominal aortic aneursyms, as stated above, has not resulted in either ruptured aneurysm or postoperative death, and we feel that in the veteran population that this is a sound approach. (Curr Surg 57:343-345)