What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

If the words "abdominal aortic aneurysm" sound like a mouthful, you are in good company. Here is the plain version, written for neighbors in Frankfort Township.

In plain words

my.clevelandclinic.org gives this definition. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an enlargement or bulge in the part of your aorta that extends through your belly or abdomen (abdominal aorta).

Put simply, it is a bulge in the aorta where it passes through your belly. The shorthand "AAA" just saves breath.

Why the name is so long

Each word does a job. "Abdominal" points to the belly, "aortic" points to the aorta, and "aneurysm" names the bulge.

Two pages on the AAA definition

Two publishers have pages on this topic. The Society of Interventional Radiology's page on abdominal aortic aneurysm and IR treatment options is one. The NHLBI page on aortic aneurysm is the other.

One simple next step

Read one of those two pages this week and underline anything unfamiliar.

Learning the vocabulary is most of the first step. Once the words stop sounding scary, the questions get easier to ask.