My aneurysm is small and doesn't need surgery. Now what?

You'll go into a simple surveillance program: a quick, noninvasive ultrasound once or twice a year to watch for any growth. Quitting smoking and keeping your blood pressure controlled are the most effective ways to slow it down.

Why are aneurysms considered so dangerous?

Because they grow silently, often over months or years, with no symptoms at all. If a large aneurysm ruptures, it causes sudden, massive internal bleeding that can be fatal. That's exactly why finding one early, before it ruptures, makes such a difference.

I have a family history of aneurysms. How can I lower my risk?

Not smoking makes the biggest difference, and if you smoke now, quitting is the most powerful step you can take. Keeping your blood pressure well controlled helps too. And because family history raises your risk, ask about getting screened: a one-time ultrasound is quick and painless.

Is AAA screening covered by insurance?

Often, yes. Medicare covers a one-time abdominal aortic aneurysm screening ultrasound for people at higher risk, including men aged 65 to 75 who have ever smoked and people with a family history of aneurysm. If you think you qualify, ask us and we'll help you check.

How do I find the right doctor to treat an aneurysm?

Look for a board-certified vascular surgeon with real training and experience in the latest minimally invasive techniques. At Empire Vein, aneurysm care is a core specialty: we focus on the minimally invasive EVAR repair, monitor small aneurysms conservatively instead of rushing to operate, and plan every repair with you.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm, found early and repaired safely

Your aorta is the body’s largest artery, carrying blood from your heart down through your abdomen. When its wall weakens, it can balloon outward into an aneurysm. It usually causes no symptoms, so it’s most often found on a scan, which is why screening matters. Caught early, it’s very treatable, and Empire Vein is a leader in the most advanced repair, EVAR.

200,000+

Americans are diagnosed with an AAA each year

4,800+

aneurysms treated by our vascular surgeons

What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

Your aorta is the largest artery in your body, carrying oxygen-rich blood from your heart down through your chest and abdomen. A healthy aorta is smooth, strong, and open.

Over time, a section of the aortic wall can weaken and bulge outward like a balloon. That bulge is an aneurysm, and when it forms in the belly it's called an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA. A large one can rupture and cause dangerous internal bleeding. That's why finding and watching an aneurysm early matters so much.

Where the abdominal aorta sits

Normal Aorta

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

Dr. Pushpinder Sivia

Board-Certified • Fellowship-Trained Vascular Surgeon

What our doctors think

“When someone hears the word aneurysm, they picture an emergency. The truth is that most of the ones we find are small, and our job is simply to watch them carefully and step in at the right time, usually through two tiny incisions.”

How it develops

An aneurysm forms slowly, as a weak spot in the aortic wall gives way to the pressure of blood flowing through it.

The aortic wall weakens

Over time the structural proteins in the aortic wall break down, often with age, smoking, or long-standing high blood pressure.

A bulge forms

The pressure of blood pushes against the weakened spot, and the aorta slowly balloons outward.

The bulge can grow

Left unwatched, the aneurysm gradually enlarges, and a large one can rupture, causing life-threatening internal bleeding.

Who should get screened

Men over 65 who have ever smoked are at the highest risk, and qualify for a one-time, Medicare-covered AAA screening. A family history of aneurysms or other vascular disease can be reason to screen too.

Some risk factors can be lowered: quitting smoking and keeping blood pressure healthy both help. If you're at higher risk, a quick, painless screening is the single best way to catch an aneurysm before it becomes dangerous.

Age over 65

The aortic wall naturally loses strength with age, so risk climbs after 65.

Being male

Men are several times more likely to develop an AAA than women.

Smoking

Smoking is the single biggest risk factor. It weakens the artery wall and speeds aneurysm growth.

Family history

A parent or sibling with an aneurysm raises your own risk considerably.

High blood pressure

Years of high pressure put stress on the wall of the aorta and weaken it.

Chronic lung disease

COPD and other chronic lung conditions are linked to a higher risk of AAA.

Symptoms & warning signs

An aneurysm almost always grows silently, so it’s usually found on a scan. When symptoms do appear, they can signal an emergency.

Most aneurysms cause nothing you can feel. But a large or rupturing aneurysm can bring on sudden, severe symptoms that need emergency care:

Severe, sudden pain in the stomach or back

Pain spreading to the groin, legs, or buttocks

A pulsing feeling in the abdomen, like a heartbeat

Dizziness, or suddenly passing out

Nausea and vomiting

A racing heartbeat or clammy, pale skin

Call 911 right away

Sudden, severe belly or back pain can mean an aneurysm is rupturing: a life-threatening emergency. Get to the nearest emergency room right away.

How we diagnose it

The key test is a quick, painless abdominal ultrasound in our accredited vascular lab, available at every office.

Exam & history

A specialist reviews your history and risk factors, feels the abdomen for a pulsing mass, and checks the pulses in your legs.

Abdominal ultrasound

This simple scan shows the size and location of an aneurysm.

CT scan or MRI

Once an aneurysm is found, detailed imaging maps it precisely so your surgeon can plan the safest treatment.

Your treatment options

How an aneurysm is treated depends mostly on its size. Small ones are watched closely; larger ones are repaired, with a minimally invasive procedure whenever possible.

Illustration of an ultrasound probe checking the abdominal aorta

Monitoring

Active surveillance

Small aneurysms don't need surgery. We watch them with an ultrasound once or twice a year, and help you slow their growth by not smoking and keeping your blood pressure controlled.

Illustration of open surgical AAA repair through a large abdominal incision

Traditional

Open surgery

The traditional repair: the abdomen is opened and the weakened aorta is replaced with a synthetic graft. It's a proven operation, but a major one, with a large incision and a longer recovery.

Illustration of EVAR: a stent graft placed through two small groin punctures

What we do

Minimally invasive

EVAR

The minimally invasive repair we specialize in at Empire Vein. A stent graft rebuilds the aorta from the inside through two small groin punctures. That means no large incision, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster recovery.

Learn about EVAR

At Empire Vein, we repair abdominal aortic aneurysms with the minimally invasive EVAR approach, not open surgery. Your specialist confirms your anatomy is suited to it before anything is scheduled.

Patient guide

Endovascular stent grafts

A detailed booklet on how a stent graft repairs an abdominal aortic aneurysm, what the procedure involves, and what to expect during recovery and follow-up.

Download the guide

Abdominal aortic aneurysm, answered

The questions patients ask us most about aneurysms and EVAR.

Usually not. Most aneurysms, especially those under about 5 cm, can be safely monitored rather than operated on. Even when repair is recommended, it's rarely emergency surgery. It's planned in advance, with you.

Insurance

When your veins cause symptoms like aching, swelling, or skin changes, treatment is typically considered medically necessary, including under Medicare. We'll help you verify your benefits.

Most major plans accepted