Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening

[sandyRoe]

An invitation to go for an ultrasound scan got me thinking. Could the abdominal aorta be likened to a bicycle wheel inner tube where, in the case of an aneurysm, it can succumb to inner pressure and ruptures?

[murraymints]

Sandy....not a pleasant thought for this early hour...but suppose so ..

[sandyRoe]

And while I'm here, is there any known cure for hypochondria? :-)

[douglas9401]

Yes Sandy, but health service bigwigs warn against the use of rubber cement and French chalk as an effective treatment, even in a roadside emergency.

[Sqad]

You have got it in a nutshell......sandy.

[murraymints]

Stop looking in medical books !!

[Sqad]

Was that for me Murray?.........;-)

[murraymints]

Sqad..xxx. you are the font of all knowledge..what need do you have for text books !! ...Sandy on t' other hand ........

[Sqad]

Murray....a little secret......I was never one for the "books" at med School.

[sandyRoe]

Ah, as a cure for hypochondria. Good advice, Murraymints.

[murraymints]

More "hands on" sqad ? ...hee hee ...

[Wak]

Sandy, If you have had an invitation to go for a screening, then for God's sake, GO.
In 1996 my doctor's surgery sent an invitation for this screening to all patients over 60. I accepted (as it was free!) and had a simple tummy scan by a nurse which was recorded on a computer and then later checked by a surgeon. It turned out that my aorta was 2 cm. larger than normal and I later had the operation which obviously saved my life as the aorta can stretch and burst at any time like a cycle inner-tube once weakened.
Unless you are actually on the operating table when it bursts, you have no chance of surviving. The surgery has never repeated this invitation so I'm eternally grateful that I accepted the first time it was offered.
I'm still around to reply to you 17 years later, so, if you like the life you lead, then please accept the invitation and go.

[Jomlett]

AAA screening is not a problem. Before the scan you are shown a GOOD picture of the "tube" that is 2 straight lines. Then shown a BAD tube with an hour glass figure, where the waist is very narrow, but this is an extreme example.

The nurse explains all then a little liniment is applied to the tummy and scanned. Anything shown will be sent to your doctor.

Your innertube analogy is spot on!

[anneasquith]

' SQAD. '' I was never one for the books at med school '' did they have books then ? :)

[Sqad]

anne...cheeky bugger......;-)

[johnny37]

When did screening start? Why were you invited? I thought that general screening is not done due to cost, even taking into account the many people who succumb every year (10000?). Logic says it does not make sense to screen several million people. And how often? Every five years?

[sandyRoe]

In the letter it says: A quick free scan for men over 65. Do women not suffer from this?
This is in N Ireland.

[LazyGun]

@Sandy Male to Female ratio for AAA (Abdo Aortic Aneurysm) is around 4:1, for not entirely understood reasons.

"Clinically, multiple risk factors are associated with the development of AAAs, including increasing age, positive smoking history, and hypertension. Male gender is also a well-established risk factor for the development of an AAA, with a 4:1 male to female ratio. The reason for this gender disparity is unknown. The pathogenesis of AAAs formation is complex and multifactorial. "

[sandyRoe]

Done and nothing untoward found. During the examination my phone rang, the ringtone's a croaking frog, and both the nurse and I burst out laughing. :-)

[LazyGun]

Glad to hear it Sandy - lets just hope a frog croaking is not prophetic of something! ;)

[masma]

Mr M had it done - all ok and no need to repeat the it.