18 patients were admitted from 1969 to 1973 to the Surgical and Urological University Clinic in Mainz with ruptured infrarenal aortic aneurysms. Three patients died immediately following the operation and three during surgery from internal hemorrhage. Eight patients died later following prolonged shock. Four patients survived surgery. The classical symptoms of shock, abdominal pain and pulsating tumor was only present in three patients. The diagnosis was only made in seven patients at admission, from the clinical findings. Urological symptoms were also prominent such as unilateral flank pain, colic, dysuria, anuria and tenderness over the kidney. There is no typical clinical picture of ruptured aortic aneurysm. Acute urological symptomatology in cases of acute abdomen with unclear etiology and in connection with shock could indicate a ruptured aortic aneurysm. There is absolute indication for immediate operative intervention. The aneurysm is removed and replaced by a vascular prosthesis. Early diagnosis is important since prolonged shock and anuria will result in a poor postoperative prognosis. Abdominal exploration is therefore also indicated when a ruptured aortic aneurysm is only suspected.
Abdomen, Acute Acute Disease