Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysm can be treated using 3 different methods: open repair, endovascular aortic repair, or conservative treatment with regular monitoring and postponement of surgery until the aneurysm is greater than 55 mm. Conservative treatment entails living with the knowledge that an aneurysm is present while undergoing annual outpatient follow-up. This study describes patients' experiences of living with the knowledge that they have an aneurysm for which they are receiving conservative treatment. A qualitative, phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was used. Interviews were conducted between April 2007 and December 2008 with 10 patients diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm less than 55 mm. The interpretation and analysis process involved 3 steps: (1) naive reading and understanding, (2) structural analysis, and (3) comprehensive understanding. Five themes based on subthemes were identified: (a) sudden knowledge of a hitherto undetected condition, (b) putting your life in someone else's hands, (c) waiting in limbo-feeling secure despite concerns, (d) life is at stake, and (e) feeling obliged not to cause worry. Living with a diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm implies awareness of having an invisible, life-threa...Continue Reading
References
Jul 1, 1993·Journal of Vascular Surgery·H Bengtsson, D Bergqvist
Feb 15, 2000·The British Journal of Surgery·K A VardulakiR A Scott
Jul 25, 2000·European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery : the Official Journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery·J S LindholtE W Henneberg
Mar 2, 2002·The British Journal of Surgery·R A P ScottH A Ashton
May 10, 2002·The New England Journal of Medicine·Frank A LederleUNKNOWN Aneurysm Detection and Management Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study Group
Aug 10, 2002·Journal of Vascular Surgery·M HeikkinenO Auvinen
Nov 22, 2002·Lancet·H A AshtonUNKNOWN Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study Group
May 19, 2004·Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences·Anders Lindseth, Astrid Norberg
Sep 10, 2004·Annals of Vascular Surgery·Anders WanhainenMartin Björck
Jun 5, 2007·Journal of Vascular Surgery·Tara M MastracciUNKNOWN Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery
Oct 2, 2007·Journal of Vascular Surgery·Brian G DerubertisK Craig Kent
Dec 7, 2007·Annals of Vascular Surgery·Marc SchermerhornJack Cronenwett
Jun 26, 2008·Scandinavian Journal of Surgery : SJS : Official Organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society·F A Lederle
Jul 30, 2009·Qualitative Health Research·Elisabeth Kenne SarenmalmJoakim Ohlén
Aug 25, 2009·Journal of Vascular Nursing : Official Publication of the Society for Peripheral Vascular Nursing·Margareta BrännströmAnders Wanhainen
Citations
Dec 10, 2016·The British Journal of Surgery·R DuncanJ Michaels
Dec 3, 2015·Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research = Revista Brasileira De Pesquisas Médicas E Biológicas·X LiR Tang
Sep 22, 2018·Nursing & Health Sciences·Inger K HolmströmCamilla Fröjd
Dec 4, 2019·Journal of Clinical Nursing·May BazziIsabell Fridh
Mar 7, 2020·Vascular and Endovascular Surgery·Christopher RamosJaime Benarroch-Gampel
Jun 22, 2020·Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology·Ina QvistLars Frost
Jul 4, 2020·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Anna EricssonChristine Kumlien
Sep 25, 2020·Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences·Mette JönssonPernille Palm
Sep 22, 2018·Journal of Patient-reported Outcomes·John BrodersenMonica Pettersson
Jan 14, 2020·European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery : the Official Journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery·Linda LyttkensEva Jangland
Apr 6, 2021·Annals of Vascular Surgery·Chalotte Winther NicolajsenAnette Arbjerg Højen