First international meeting towards eliminating paralysis after aortic aneurysm surgery

Abstract

First international meeting towards eliminating paralysis after aortic aneurysm surgery Professor Hamdy Awad, MD, FASA, from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, examines the dangers of aortic aneurysm surgery and the importance of continued research towards eliminating paralysis. Aortic aneurysmal disease is a rapidly growing problem in the United States. Ruptured aortic aneurysm is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. with 43,000–47,000 deaths per year (1). Risk factors associated with aneurysmal disease include old age, smoking, male sex, and a family history of aortic aneurysm. Aortic aneurysms inevitably rupture due to their thin and weakened walls, resulting in massive internal bleeding, which is usually fatal. This necessitates timely surgical intervention.