Computerised tomography after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

ABSTRACT

CT scan early after AAA resection and graft implantation enables the detection of local complications such as extensive haematomas around the implanted graft (25 cases), gas bubbles (7 cases) fluid collections, inflammatory infiltration in the tissue around the graft and compression of organs in the neighbourhood (1 case) to be detected. The possibility of detecting these complications as early as possible allows effective treatment. The addition of CT guided needle biopsy to allow culture of suspicious material makes this a very useful technique. For these reasons routine postoperative CT scanning after aortic aneurysm surgery is recommended.