The number of patients suffering from aneurysms of the abdominal aorta (AAA) is rising simultaneously with the increase of the number of patients afflicted with cardiovascular disorders of atherosclerotic nature. Of the three very serious complications in such disorders-thrombosis, embolism, and rupture-the latter is the most serious and has a dramatic course. In the present study we discuss the surgical approach and the results of the treatment of 11 ruptured AAAs for the period from 1989 to 1991. Ten of the patients were male and one female. Their age was in the range of 51 to 87 (mean age 63.7 years). The diagnosis was primarily made on the basis of anamnestic and clinical evidence. Transvenous aortography was performed in four of the patients, and computer tomography was used in four other patients. Two patients were diagnosed in the operation theater placed there for an operation of acute abdomen. One of the patients was operated on only on the basis of the available clinical evidence because no other investigations were possible to have been performed. One patient died in the operation theater. One patient was operated on again in the early postoperative period because of the acute ischemia he developed in one of the lower limbs due to intraoperative embolic accident, and one patient was operated on later in the postoperative period because of two false aneurysms of the proximal and one of the distal anastomoses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)