Skip to main content
Prof Sherif SultanVascular & Endovascular Surgeon

Abdominal aortic aneurysm: get the facts

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a swelling of the body's main artery. It almost never causes symptoms — and it is found in minutes by ultrasound.

The facts

  • The aorta is the main artery carrying blood from the heart down through the abdomen
  • An aneurysm is a weakening and swelling of its wall; if it bursts, most people do not survive
  • It causes no pain and no symptoms until the day it ruptures
  • It is up to six times more common in men, and more common again if a parent or sibling has had one
  • Smoking is the single biggest avoidable cause
  • A one-off ultrasound scan takes minutes, costs little and is painless

What happens if one is found

Small aneurysms are simply watched with a scan every year, alongside blood pressure control and stopping smoking. Larger ones are repaired before they cause harm — most often through keyhole surgery, with a short hospital stay.

Associations & Hospitals

Professional associations and hospitals Professor Sultan works with

Logos of the Western Vascular Institute, Galway Clinic, European Society for Vascular Surgery, International Society of Endovascular Specialists, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Saolta University Health Care Group, Society for Vascular Surgery, Galway University Hospitals, Vascular Society, and NUI Galway