Surgical management of unruptured asymptomatic aneurysms

Abstract

The natural history of unruptured asymptomatic aneurysms is unclear. Because of this uncertainty regarding risk of ultimate enlargement and/or hemorrhage, and in view of the significant mortality and morbidity traditionally involved in aneurysm surgery, clinicians have varied in their advocacy of surgical management of such lesions. Patients (49) harboring 52 such aneurysms were treated surgically over a 57 mo. period. There were no surgical deaths and morbidity was within acceptable limits. Patient population characteristics and surgical technique are discussed.