cardiovascular disorders
Abdominal Aortic Branch Occlusion
Key Points
Abdominal aortic branch occlusion can be acute or chronic. Symptoms vary depending on the acuity of the occlusion and the artery involved. Diagnose abdominal aortic branch occlusion based on history and physical examination and confirm with imaging tests. Treat acute occlusion as a surgical emergency with embolectomy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, or surgical bypass. Treat chronic occlusion with medications and lifestyle changes and, if severe, surgery or angioplasty. 