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Ultrasound
Screening
December
28, 2008 |
An aneurysm occurs when
a localized area of a
blood vessel widens. It
can happen in various
areas of the body. One
of the most dangerous
types is the abdominal
aortic aneurysm. “It’s
not uncommon especially
for men after 50 years
of age and people who
have high blood
pressure, people who
have cardiac disease,
people who smoke, people
who have high
cholesterol it’s not
uncommon at all,” says
vascular surgeon Dr.
Moutaa BenMaarmer. In
fact there are 15,000
deaths related to
abdominal aortic
aneurysms in America
each year. If it gets
to the point of
rupturing there is a
small chance the
patient’s life can be
saved. “It’s a
symptomatic pathology so
the patient won’t feel
anything and all of a
sudden they have a sharp
pain in the abdomen.
The key here is to find
out before this happens,
treat them before,” says
Dr. BenMaarmer. A
simple ultrasound
screening could help you
discover an aneurysm and
have it treated before
it becomes life
threatening. “After 50,
55 years of age it’s a
recommendation to get an
ultrasound of the
abdomen. It’s pain free
and it’s only a probe
that you put on the
abdomen. You see the
aorta and you measure
the aorta.” If an
aneurysm is detected
during the ultrasound
there are surgical
procedures that can help
prevent it from
rupturing including a
non-invasive technique
that has provided
successful results in
recent years. If you
begin to develop sudden
back and abdominal pain
it’s recommended you get
to the emergency room as
soon as possible as it
could be related to an
abdominal aortic
aneurysm.
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