What is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

An abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA, is essentially an enlarged blood vessel that is bigger than normal and typically occurs is the section of the aorta below the kidneys. It can be diagnosed and monitored via an ultrasound screening. If the AAA grows to be between 5-5 1/2 cm in diameter, it can be treated using a minimally-invasive endovascular procedure (EVAR) or an open surgical repair.