Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

: The authors present the results of a retrospective study concerning 96 patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture who underwent surgery in the 2nd Department of Surgery in Brno in the time period from 1989 to 1999. In 30 cases (31.2%) there was an isolated retroperitoneal rupture, 66 patients (68.8%) also had haemoperitoneum. The mean age of the patients was 74 years and the male/female ratio was 76 (79.2%): 20 (20.8%). Twelve patients (40%) did not survive the retroperitoneal rupture, and 34 patients (51.5%) did not survive the intraabdominal rupture. Total mortality in the study group was 47.9%. The type of the rupture and the size of the haematoma that is in correlation with the time of diagnosis and operation, are among the most decisive prognostic factors. Patients with a small haematoma show higher survival rates. In large retroperitoneal haematomas accompanied by a haemorrhagic shock, the mortality was about 40% in the presented study group, in intraabdominal ruptures the mortality rate increases to values over 50%. The results are in accordance with foreign literature data, and the authors agree with the opinion that haemodynamically unstable patients with suspected abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture should be, after necessary preparations, urgently operated without complementary examinations.