Background. Total of 142 procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm were performed over the 1992-2003 period. Methods and Results. Among this group, 106 patients (74 %) underwent elective surgical procedure and 36 patients (26 %) required urgent surgical treatment for acute ruptured aneurysm. The surgical mortality of the first group decreased from 19,5 % to 4,7 % over the past 40 years. On the other hand, in the same period, there is no significant change in surgical mortality rate for bleeding aneurysm (50 % over the 1960-1980 and 41,6 over the 1992–2003). Conclusions. The average time between the first sign of rupture and the onset surgery is approaching 22 hours. The delay results form the time for necessary examination and for the complicated determinations of the diagnosis. Patients with the ruptured aortic abdominal aneurysm should be immediately transferred to the specialised vascular surgical clinics.

        Key words: abdominal aortic aneurysm.