An asymptomatic 62-year-old woman with severe hypertension is found to have an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm measuring 5.6 cm on ultrasound. What is the accepted diameter threshold above which elective repair is generally recommended?

• A 4.0 cm
• B 4.5 cm
• C 5.0 cm
• D 5.5 cm ✓

Explanation

Elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is recommended when maximum diameter reaches 5.5 cm in men, or earlier at about 5.0 cm in women and when growth exceeds 1 cm per year, because rupture risk rises steeply beyond these sizes. The 5.5 cm threshold is the standard teaching point that rules out the smaller options.

Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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