A patient comes to the emergency department with abdominal pain. Work-up reveals the presence of a rapidly enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm. Which of the following actions should the nurse expect?
A. The patient will be admitted to the medicine unit for observation and medication.
B. The patient will be admitted to the day surgery unit for sclerotherapy.
C. The patient will be admitted to the surgical unit and resection will be scheduled.
D. The patient will be discharged home to follow-up with his cardiologist in 24 hours.
Correct Answer: C. The patient will be admitted to the surgical unit and resection will be scheduled.
A rapidly enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm is at significant risk of rupture and should be resected as soon as possible. No other appropriate treatment options currently exist.
Option A: Admitting the patient for observation will be a delay and may result in the rupture of the aneurysm. Immediate surgery is the only recommended management.
Option B: Sclerotherapy, in which a solution is injected into a vein, causing it to collapse, scar, and fade, remains the primary treatment for the small-vessel varicose disease of the lower extremities.
Option D: The patient should not be discharged because the abdominal aneurysm may rupture at any time and place the patient’s life at risk.