Emergency Repair of a Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in an Elderly Patient with Open-chest Cardiac Massage and Artificial Graft Replacement: A Case Report

Abstract

An 86-year-old woman developed syncope while walking outdoors. At the time of arrival at our hospital, her vital signs were stable and abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. However, shortly after returning from the CT room, she developed cardiopulmonary arrest. Consequently, emergency physicians performed open-chest cardiac massage and cross-clamping of the descending aorta. Cardiovascular surgeons immediately performed an aortic replacement. Despite developing postoperative complications, the patient survived and was transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. This case highlights the significant impact of timely and effective collaboration between emergency physicians and cardiovascular surgeons in managing elderly patients with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm who develop cardiopulmonary arrest. The case underpins the critical role of interprofessional teamwork to improve patient outcomes in critical situations.