Visceral artery aneurysms as seen in a community hospital

BACKGROUND: Visceral artery aneurysm (VAA) is a rare but important form of vascular pathology. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients treate d 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 wi th an average age of 60 years. The arteries involved were 15 splenic, 8 hep atic, 5 superior mesenteric branch, 1 left gastric, 1 gastroduodenal, and 1 left colic. Seventy-four percent of patients presented with acute abdomina l pain and/or shock secondary to aneurysm rupture. Angioembolization was pe rformed 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 gen eral surgeon as acute abdominal emergencies. Symptomatic VAAs can be manage d successfully by simple ligation in the primary care setting. (C) 2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.