What is the natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysms?
The natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysms depends on their size and the speed of expansion. Rupture of aneurysms is uncommon when they are less than 5.5 cm wide and are expanding slowly. Rupture is far more common in aneurysms that are over 5.5 cm wide and are expanding rapidly (>0.5 cm/year). Surgical repair is therefore usually recommended for aneurysms over 5.5 cm wide.
