Ruptured Aneurysm of Abdominal Aorta in an Eight-Five-Year-Old Man

Abdominal aortic aneurysm usually results in death from rupture of the aneurysm. The life expectancy for persons with abdominal aortic aneurysm is considerably less than that of the normal population of the same age group.4The onset of symptoms is generally considered to be a poor prognostic sign. Approximately 50% of these patients will die within six months to two years after the onset of symptoms.* In one series of cases the survival rate for those who were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis was no better than the survival rate of those who had symptoms.4When the cause of death could be determined, 63.3% (31 of 49 patients) in Estes' series4and 81.6% (31 of 38 patients) in Kampmeier's group7died from rupture of the aneurysm. Without surgical intervention, following perforation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, the mortality rate approaches 100%. Although death after perforation