The aorta is the largest artery in the body, running down through the chest and into the abdomen. Just below the navel the aorta splits into two arteries called the iliac arteries. These arteries carry blood down to the legs.
People with AAA tend to be more prone to developing aneurysms in other arteries such as the iliac arteries, common femoral arteries and the popliteal arteries. Normal aortic sizes range from 1 cm. to under 3 cm. After a patient has been diagnosed with a AAA, depending on the size of the aneurysm, monitoring should be done every six to 12 months. Once the aneurysm reaches 5 cm. surgical intervention may be warranted.
People at a higher risk of getting a AAA are men over 50, smokers, high blood pressure and those with an immediate relative such as a parent or sibling that have a history of AAA. People with a AAA may experience a pulsing feeling in their abdomen, severe sudden pain in the lower abdomen and/or back. In rare cases, a patient may develop pain, discoloration, or sores in the toes or feet because of material shed from the aneurysm.
A majority of aneurysms are asymptomatic and found incidentally.
When surgery is required, there are a couple options. Open repair is the more invasive method which involves the surgeon making an incision in the abdomen and replacing the weakened section of the artery with a tube called a graft. Patients can expect a hospital stay for four to seven days.
Instead of open repair there is a newer procedure called an endovascular stent graft. This procedure is much less invasive. Instead of needing a large incision in the abdomen, the surgeon makes two small incisions in the groin areas. They gain access to the common femoral arteries and thread the new tubing or graft up to the area of the aneurysm and use a device to expand the graft to the size of the healthy aorta. Patients can expect a hospital stay of two to three days. After surgery, patients should return on a regular basis for follow up testing as part of their maintenance program which is set up by the vascular surgeon.
The Vascular Lab of West Michigan has diagnostic testing as well as screening opportunities for the public. A noninvasive Doppler exam can be performed to aid in the early detection of a AAA. For more information please contact the Vascular Lab of West Michigan at (231) 739-1931.
- 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year.
- Of these 34,000 newly diagnosed people, 48% will be dead within five years.
- Oral cancer, unlike many other cancers, has not shown a decrease in mortality in the last 30 years.
- 25% of oral cancers occur in people with no known risk factors.
- Oral cancer occurrence is rising in young people, women, and non-smokers, those people traditionally thought of as being protected from oral cancers. This is often caused by HPV, the human papilloma virus, the same virus that causes 95% of cervical cancer.
- Oral cancer is as common as leukemia and it claims more lives than melanoma and cervical cancers.
You may wonder, "Am I at risk for oral cancer?" There are several known risk factors.
Tobacco use - This is the single most important risk factor for oral cancer. This includes all tobacco types: chewing tobacco, cigars, pipes and cigarettes.
Excessive alcohol consumption - More than 15 drinks a week puts you at a higher risk.
Tobacco and alcohol combined create a significant increased risk for oral cancer.
Unprotected exposure to sun - This causes an increase in cancer of the lips.
Low intake of fruits and vegetables - These foods provide protective nutrients that help to ward off cancers.
Several methods are available for detecting and screening for oral cancers. One method used is a "brush biopsy." These have been around for several years. It consists of a little brush that your dentist will use to scrape off some of the mucosal cells. The brush is sent to an outside laboratory for analysis.
Another method is the Velscope. The Velscope is an early oral cancer detection device that uses a dye and light to visualize abnormal cells. Oral cancers can be seen by the naked eye only when they are quite advanced. This is why the mortality rate of oral cancers is so high. The Velscope is an inexpensive screening tool that can be utilized to see these cellular changes early on.
The Vizlite is another device that uses dye and light to visualize cellular changes. These methods also can detect a change in the cells below the surface of the tissue.
In the event of a positive test, all these methods would be followed up with a biopsy for definitive diagnosis.
The main purpose of these methods is to catch a cancer early on. As with any cancer, early detection is the key. All of these tests are simple, non-invasive and inexpensive. If you have any concerns or have risk factors in your lifestyle, don't wait! Check it out. Your life could depend on it.