An abdominal aortic aneurism (AAA) is an enlargement of the lower part of the aorta that extends through the abdominal area.The diameter of the aneurismatic vessel is represented by 3 cm or more in either anterior – posterior , or transverse planes.
The developpement of Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex, multifactorial process involving destructive remodeling of aortic wall connective tissue. Four interrelated factors involved in this process include: (1) chronic inflammation associated with neovascularization and increased proinflammatory cytokine production, (2) increased and dysregulated production of matrix-degrading proteinases, (3) destruction of structural matrix proteins, and (4) decreased medial smooth muscle cell (SMC) presence, resulting in impaired connective tissue repair. This understanding has developed from a characterization of human AAA tissue, as well as the use of different animal models that replicate human disease.
The mortality of ruptured AAA is set between 40 – 70% in patients that manage to arrive alive in the emergency room, and that of 90% in overall patients confirmed with rAAA in the autopsy results.
A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) represents a disruption of a dilated aortic wall that leads to blood outside the aortic wall.