[Abdominal aortic aneurysms: diagnostic and surgical problems in advanced age].

Own experience in operative treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in the over-70 age group during the last 22 months are presented: there was no mortality in the asymptomatic patients (n = 51). If the AAA was symptomatic (n = 20) mortality was 25%, and if rupture occurred (n = 26) mortality raised to 42%. The wide-spread use of ultrasonography detected many more people with asymptomatic AAA than in former years. The high incidence of coronary artery disease in the over-70 age group raises the operation risk. By early detection of asymptomatic AAA, intensive preoperative treatment, and a meticulous monitoring during the operation and the intensive care total mortality was lowered from 44% to 16.5% in last years.