NICE guidance on Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA): diagnosis and management has been published.
NICE recommends the same ultrasound measurement technique as that used within the AAA screening programme: “When measuring aortic size with ultrasound, report the inner-to-inner maximum anterior-posterior aortic diameter, in accordance with the NHS AAA screening programme. Clearly document any additional measurements taken.”
Other recommendations include:
• Diagnosis
• Monitoring and reducing the risk of rupture
• Predicting and improving surgical outcomes
• Repairing unruptured and ruptured aneurysms
• Monitoring for complications after endovascular aneurysm repair
• Managing endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair
The guidance aims to “improve care by helping people who are at risk to get tested, specifying how often to monitor asymptomatic aneurysms, and identifying when aneurysm repair is needed, and which procedure will work best.”