An Auckland hospital vascular surgeon says that New Zealand should follow other countries and introduce an aneurysm screening program.

In an estimate it was suggested that almost 20,000 New Zealanders have an undiagnosed aneurysm or swelling in the aortic wall which include many risks of rupture and death. The United Kingdom, the United States and Western Australia have all started these screening programs.

Andrew Hill, vascular surgeon, said that screening only needs an ultrasound therefore the expenses of a scheme would be relatively low.

Aneurysms have been fixed in the aortas of as many as 500 patients using the special stent grafts which meant that they did not have to undergo open heart surgery.

Andrew Holden, radiologist, said that the idea of opening up the artery through the groin to deliver a new lining for the aneurysm was developed in the mid to late-90s. He said that he was involved in the pioneering project along with his associate Andrew Hill.

He also says that aneurysms are very often only discovered when they rupture which is very late. He added that more research was required on the prevalence of aneurysms in New Zealand.