MEN over 65 are being urged to attend appointments for a potentially life threatening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).

An AAA is a swelling of the aorta, the body’s main blood vessel, and if this bursts it can cause huge internal bleeding and is often fatal.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is running the county’s screening programme and is encouraging everyone who is offered screening to attend their appointment. Appointments are offered to all men registered with a GP during the year they turn 65.

Geoffrey Gardner, from Worcester, was sent a letter offering a screening appointment shortly after his 65th birthday. Initially putting the letter to one side and forgetting about it, he eventually decided to attend screening after talking to his wife, an ex-nurse, about it.

Mr Gardener underwent the screening at his surgery, which took only a few minutes, and it revealed a small aneurysm. After being monitored for two-and-a-half years , he was referred to experienced vascular surgeon, Professor Richard Downing at Worcestershire Royal Hospital - as the aneurysm had grown enough to require surgery.

“After being referred to Professor Downing and discussing all our options, that was when it really hit me how serious this can be,” he said.

“The following month I went in to have my operation. All the staff were excellent and really good at keeping in contact with me.

“The whole process from start to finish from the first scan until the operation was absolutely fantastic.

“I was really happy with all the care I received.”

More than 3,000 men die every year in England and Wales from a ruptured AAA.

Amarjit Atwal, clinical director of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire AAA screening programme, added: “The AAA screening programme has proved very successful with 85 per cent of eligible men taking up our offer of screening.

“We hope to continue this success and hope to prevent more premature deaths from AAA”.