Visceral artery aneurysms as seen in a community hospital

• Published in: The American journal of surgery Vol. 179; no. 6; pp. 486 - 489
• Main Authors: Carmeci, Charles, McClenathan, James
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.2000; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aneurysm; Aneurysm - diagnostic imaging; Aneurysm - mortality; Aneurysm - surgery; Angiography; Arteries; Asymptomatic; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Case reports; Cholecystectomy; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Emergencies; Female; Hemorrhagic shock; Hepatic Artery - diagnostic imaging; Hepatic Artery - surgery; Hospitals; Humans; Laparoscopy; Laparotomy; Liver; Male; Medical records; Medical referrals; Medical sciences; Mesenteric Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Mesenteric Arteries - surgery; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Nitric oxide; Pain; Pancreatitis; Pathology; Patients; Primary care; Prognosis; Pseudoaneurysm; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Retrospective Studies; Splenic Artery - diagnostic imaging; Splenic Artery - surgery; Surgeons; Survival Rate; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Trauma; Vascular surgery; Vascular Surgical Procedures - methods; Northern California; United States > US; Angiography; Aneurysm; Cardiovascular disease; Visceral artery; Arterial disease; Vascular disease; Surgery; Adult; Diagnosis; Localization; Human; Visceral artery arteriography; Radiodiagnosis; General surgery; General hospital; Treatment efficiency; Instrumentation therapy; Exploration; Anatomy; Artery; Symptomatology; Treatment; Medical imagery; Embolization; Computerized axial tomography
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9610(00)00380-9
• ISSN: 0002-9610

Background: Visceral artery aneurysm (VAA) is a rare but important form of vascular pathology. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients treated for VAAs from 1980 to 1998 at the Northern California Kaiser Hospitals. Results: Thirty-one patients with VAAs were treated, 11 men and 20 women with an average age of 60 years. The arteries involved were 15 splenic, 8 hepatic, 5 superior mesenteric branch, 1 left gastric, 1 gastroduodenal, and 1 left colic. Seventy-four percent of patients presented with acute abdominal pain and/or shock secondary to aneurysm rupture. Angioembolization was performed in 9, and 25 were treated surgically. There was no morbidity, and 1 death (3.2%). Conclusions: Patients with VAAs often present to the community hospital general surgeon as acute abdominal emergencies. Symptomatic VAAs can be managed successfully by simple ligation in the primary care setting.