The NHS in London is calling on men aged 65 and over to take up their free invitation for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening – a painless, 15-minute scan that could save their life.
An AAA is a bulge or swelling in the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the abdomen. There are no symptoms caused by an AAA, meaning many men are entirely unaware they have one until it is too late. If an aneurysm ruptures, it can be fatal.
The NHS AAA Screening Programme invites all men registered with a GP during the year they turn 65, when the risk is highest, for a simple and painless ultrasound scan of the abdomen.
Andrew Thurston, 65, almost gave his screening appointment a miss.
He said: “I had never heard of AAA screening, so I thought ‘can I be bothered with this?’. But my wife encouraged me to, it won’t take long and it’s not invasive. Thank goodness I went for the scan. I felt absolutely fine, but I had a 10cm aneurysm.”
Aneurysms above 5cm are considered a serious concern, and a rupture of an aneurysm of that size carries a 95% chance of death from internal bleeding, even in hospital.
Andrew was on the phone to St Thomas’ Hospital within 20 minutes of his scan and was told to go to A&E immediately. He then underwent a six-hour procedure, in which a custom-made endograft and multiple stents were inserted through keyhole surgery to repair the aneurysm. Six months on, he is back playing golf twice a week.
He said: “I felt well, absolutely no symptoms. They didn’t understand how I was walking around happy and fit with what was a life-threatening diagnosis.
“If it wasn’t for the AAA Screening Programme inviting me, I know there’s a very big chance I wouldn’t be here. Go for your AAA ultrasound scan, it could save your life.”
If an AAA scan shows a small or medium aneurysm, men are offered regular follow-up scans to monitor its size. If a large aneurysm is found, they are referred to one of five specialist vascular units in London for further assessment and treatment.
Only a small number of men, less than 1% of those screened, will require immediate treatment.
Mark Heron, 65, says he owes his life to the staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, who enabled him to make a full recovery after his AAA screening identified a large aneurysm.
He said: “I’d encourage other men to book their scan – by definition, asymptomatic health issues aren’t visible. I’m very grateful I got an early diagnosis – I honestly feel very lucky.”
Will Huxter, Regional Director of Commissioning at NHS England, said: “Stories like Andrew’s and Mark’s are a powerful reminder of why this programme exists. AAA screening is free, quick and could genuinely be the difference between life and death – yet too many men still don’t take up their invitation. I’d urge every man in London who receives a letter to book that appointment. It takes just 15 minutes and could give you many more years with the people you love.”
Men in London aged 65 or over who have not previously been screened can request a test by contacting their local AAA screening service directly.
