What to ask
- •Acute abdominal / back / flank pain
- •Syncope / collapse
- •Known AAA, last surveillance scan size
- •Cardiovascular history, anticoagulation
What to examine
- •Obs — BP both arms
- •Pulsatile expansile mass above umbilicus
- •Femoral, popliteal, foot pulses
- •Look for tenderness, peritonism
Essential investigations
- •Bedside USS / FAST if available
- •CT angiogram aorta if stable
- •Bloods: FBC, U&E, clotting, group & cross-match 6 units
- •ECG
Immediate management
01 — Resuscitate — permissive hypotension
Aim SBP 80–100 mmHg until repaired. Two large-bore IV cannulae. Activate major haemorrhage.
02 — Analgesia + antiemetic
Titrate IV morphine.
03 — Get to CT or theatre
Don't sit on a stable AAA — talk to vascular early.
What the registrar will ask
- 01Is the patient haemodynamically stable?
- 02Known AAA size?
- 03Group & cross-match in lab?
- 04CT done / available?
- 05Anticoagulated?
Referral checklist
Ready-to-refer score: 0% — gather the remaining items before calling.