| Description |
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are the most common form of aneurysms. This case report outlines events that occurred during an open inguinal hernia repair on a patient that had an unknown AAA. Proper anesthetic management of at risk patients and patients with AAAs can greatly improve the safety of induction, maintenance, emergence, and postoperative care. AAA is a weakening of the aortic wall, which results in progressive dilatation that can eventually rupture. The precise pathophysiology is unclear, but they are believed to develop from lipid deposition within the aortic adventitia. Dissection occurs when the damaged tunica interna allows blood to flow into the tunica media, thus creating a false channel that can dissect and rupture under the high aortic arch pressure. Without immediate repair, rupture is usually fatal and is therefore a medical emergency.1 Risk factors for developing an AAA include: male gender, increasing age, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and genetics.2 |
