What are the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

What are the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm? One of the interesting things about aortic aneurysms is that more often than not, they don't cause any symptoms at all, and they often only cause symptoms when, you know, they're close to rupturing. So there's enough tension on the on the arterial wall to actually create symptoms and also tension on the surrounding structures because of this large pulsatile mass in the abdomen to create symptoms. or alternatively, when an aneurysm ruptures, then you can get symptoms. Again, the presentation there can be varied. It most often consists of a syncopal episode or passing out, severe lower abdominal or back pain, and frequently those symptoms also mimic kidney stones. So doctor when you see a patient with sudden onset of severe flank pain, back pain, lower abdominal pain and if you're seeing them in the emergency department you have to be thinking aorta as well particularly if it's the right demographic i.e. an elderly male so that has to be part of the differential and I'm sure we'll be talking about ruptures later but that constellation of symptoms and hypotension and low blood pressure and a ruptured scenario is very suboptimal for the patient and they need urgent surgery.