Question

Which statement is the BEST explanation as to why the patient may die if the descending abdominal aorta becomes​ perforated?

A. The perforation will stop the blood flow to the lower​ extremities, so the patient will build up blood acids that will prove to be fatal.
B. It is a large vascular structure.
C. The bacteria and chemicals that will be released damage surrounding tissue rapidly.
D. If it tears​ open, it also tears open surrounding solid organs.

Answer 1

A patient may die from the perforation of the descending abdominal aorta due to severe blood loss leading to hypovolemic shock and reduced perfusion to vital organs, as well as the development of peritonitis from blood spillage into the peritoneal cavity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best explanation as to why a patient may die if the descending abdominal aorta becomes perforated is that this event can lead to a massive loss of blood, reduced blood pressure, and reduced perfusion to vital organs. The abdominal aorta, after passing through the diaphragm, becomes the descending abdominal aorta, a major blood vessel that supplies blood to various organs and the lower extremities. If perforated, there would be a severe reduction in the supply of oxygenated blood throughout the body, leading to hypovolemic shock and potentially rapid death due to the loss of function in critical organs like the brain and heart.

Moreover, the contents of the aorta entering the peritoneal cavity could cause peritonitis, an inflammation of the peritoneum, which can be life-threatening and often requires emergency surgery and intensive antibiotic therapy to treat. Given the abdominal aorta's location behind the peritoneal cavity and embedded in adipose tissue, its perforation could lead to the spillage of significant volumes of blood into this cavity, exacerbating the patient's condition and increasing the mortality rate.