Why more patients survive an aneurysm

(HealthDay) – New treatments mean that aneurysms are no longer an automatic death sentence, experts say.

Aneurysms are a weakening or swelling of blood vessels that can break down and be life threatening. They can occur anywhere in the body, but are more common in the brain or in the main blood vessels that lead to the heart, legs, and arms.

Aneurysms had a high probability of death, but many can now be treated before becoming a serious threat.

"If they are detected early, there are new interventions, such as a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to treat the disease," said Dr. Ali Azizzadeh. He is Director of Vascular Surgery at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Previously, doctors had to fix a blood vessel by hand, which involved open surgery and the badociated risks. "Today, we can solve the problem from the inside, without having to always open the patient," Azizzadeh said in a press release issued to the hospital.

Roxanne Hanks, 61, of Simi Valley, California, is living proof of this.

"I was in good health, I did exercise and I was still working full time," she said in a statement. "But I often felt dizzy and breathless with a minor effort, like climbing a staircase, and insisted that my doctors keep looking for the answer."

After months of testing and visits to the doctor, an aortic aneurysm was diagnosed and treatment was requested at the Smidt Heart Institute.

The case of Hanks was complex. First, she needed an open-heart operation to repair the anterior portion of her aorta. Two months later, she undergoes her last minimally invasive surgery.

Hanks said she was "back to work, back to the exercise and leading a fulfilling and great life".

Early detection is the key to successful treatment of aneurysm, Azizzadeh said. If you have unexplained pain badociated with a risk factor, it is important to talk to your doctor and mention the aneurysms, he advised.

Risk factors include family history, smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Some aneurysms can cause pain, but most do not cause any symptoms.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (chest area) affect approximately 15,000 Americans each year and are the 13th leading cause of death, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"Listen to your body," says Hanks. "I knew something was wrong, but I kept looking."

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