An Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm - AAA is the dilatation or ballooning of a section of the aorta which is the main artery coming out of the heart. An aneurysm usually occurs because of an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that point.

Very often you will not have any symptoms from the aneurysm and it may only be discovered through a chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound or CT scan. If the aneurysm begins to enlarge you may experience chest or back pain.

Once an aneurysm has been diagnosed with a scan, we recommend surveillance with regular ultrasound scans to monitor growth. Once an aneurysm reaches a certain size, there may be an increased risk of the aneurysm bursting or tearing. If you require aneurysm repair, your surgeon will discuss the best method with you.