Management of symptomatic unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: state of the art

Symptomatic unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) refers to a group of patients with intact AAA but who present abdominal and/or lumbar pain attributed to the aneurysm. This form of clinical presentation is potentially fatal, since its etiopathogenesis, involving acute changes in the aortic wall, including inflammation, increases the probability of impending rupture. It is clear that these patients should be referred to AAA repair. However, the timing of the intervention is controversial. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to review updated information on the diagnostic-therapeutic approach of symptomatic unruptured AAA