CMC Cardiac Medicine Certification

Answer- B - The guideline for treatment of aneurysm depends on size of aneurysm and symptoms of the patient.
•Treatment by aneurysm size:
For patients with an abdominal or thoracic aortic aneurysm with a diameter less than 3 cm without symptoms, follow-up screening should be conducted within 5 to 10 years. For patients with an aorta of 3 to 4 cm in diameter, follow-up screening should be performed on a yearly basis. For patients with a diameter of greater than 4 cm, careful follow-up needs to be performed on a bi-yearly basis. If a patient presents with an aorta with a diameter greater than 5 cm, surgery is recommended, which would include abdominal or open chest repair.
•Treatment by aneurysm location:
Treatment of cerebral aneurysms is dependent on the size and location of the aneurysm in the brain. If the aneurysm is small and not causing symptoms, follow-up screening is recommended. However, surgery is recommended for large, symptomatic aneurysms due to their risk of rupture and stroke. For thoracic or abdominal aneurysms less than 5 cm in diameter and not causing symptoms, pharmacologic approaches are typically used in combination with continuous monitoring. Surgical options are reserved for large unruptured aneurysm. Treatment of peripheral aneurysms depends on the presence of symptoms, the location of aneurysm, and whether the blood flow through the artery is blocked.