How Is an Aneurysm Treated?
Aortic aneurysms are treated with medicines and surgery. A small aneurysm that’s found early and isn’t causing symptoms may not need treatment. Other aneurysms need to be treated. The goals of treatment are to: • Prevent the aneurysm from growing • Prevent or reverse damage to other body structures • Prevent or treat a rupture or dissection • Allow you to continue to do your normal daily activities Treatment for aortic aneurysms is based on the size of the aneurysm. Your doctor may recommend routine testing to make sure an aneurysm isn’t getting bigger. This method usually is used for aneurysms that are smaller than 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) across. How often you need testing (for example, every few months or every year) will be based on the size of the aneurysm and how fast it’s growing. The larger it is and the faster it’s growing, the more often you may need to be checked.
