Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a cardiovascular disease characterized by a balloon-like bulge resulting from weakening of the artery wall. A build-up of blood pressure through part of a weakened artery creates an outward bulge or blister in the vessel. If the bulge in the artery is stretched too far the aneurysm may burst, causing a life-threatening situation.
This project is concerned with aneurysms located in the abdominal aortic region, through the vessel which carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually located below the stomach.
Yellow lines depict the most common infrarenal location of the AAA.
(Image courtesy of Gray's Anatomy)
AAA Surgery Planning
Computer-assisted planning for surgical repair of AAA:
- Endoluminal procedures increasingly common
- Measurements and understanding of 3D structure crucial to success of surgery
- Need for computerized assistance
AAA Tool showing a 3D model generated from 2D data
Full screen view of the 3D model in the AAA tool
