Mr James Coleman

by James Coleman
(Manchester/England UK)

I was involved in a motoring accident in December 2006, I noticed that night extensive back and yellow bruising below my ribs , just at the point where the seat belt rested and tightened during the accident.

In February 2010 when in bed I felt a pulsating in the area where the bruising had shown. I visited my GP and asked him to look at the site, he told me that it was a AAA, and sent a fax message to my local hospital. I was taken in for tests and soon after for my EVAR.

I am baffled by the fact that I had been to the Cardiac unit and had a Doppler scan to see how my heart was functioning, Nothing was said on that occasion or at another time when I had an angiogramme.

Are there many known cases of such injuries leading to diagnosed conditions registered. I would be grateful for any information in this regard.

Yours Faithfully.
James Coleman.

Intense Throbbing

(Westminster, CO)

This has happened 6-7 times since about April of 2010. It is now Aug 2011. I get sudden intense painful and powerful throbbing with my heartbeat, even with my belly button or maybe just below, felt into my back and flashing down and outward, toward my hips and buttocks.

When it happens it is so intense that it shakes me to my extremeties and it feels like I'm going to bust. Takes my breath away, all I can do is try to hold still and hope I don't bust. But in May 2010 I had an abdominal ultrasound to check for AAA and they said the aorta is normal size. The symptoms come at random, it's always such a surprise and it only lasts about 30-45 seconds. Should I get more tests and if so, what kinds of test and by what kind of doctor?? Not sure what to do, but I feel helpless and at risk when it happens and it really concerns me.

ruptured aortic aneurysm

by LeAnn Shaw Sudbury
(Union City, TN USA)

In 1997, my father suffered a dysection of his aorta. Dr. Robbins at Bapist East in Memphis, Tennessee immediately performed a repair and my father lived another 7 years before he died of a blood infection. So your information about an aortic dysection being 100% fatal is incorrect. Thank you.
LeAnn Shaw-Sudbury

---

Hello LeAnn,

Thank you for taking time to send in your feedback. We really do appreciate it.

You are completely right that abdominal aortic aneurysm is treatable, even when it ruptures. We have been directly involved in carrying out many many many of such surgical operations and repairs, with fatastic results just as you described above.

What we meant by this condition been up to 100 percent fatal, is when not treated following a rupture. Even with operation, the mortality rate is still very very high. It seems you got the impression that everyone who has this condition ends up dying, even with surgery. No. That is not the sense we intend converying... and apologies if we did not make that clear enough.

Many thanks again for your very helpful feedback.

The AbdoPain Team.