News Release: 2/25/2025
Beating the odds: Vergas man grateful for lifesaving care at Essentia
Up until Aug. 15, 2023, Arden Shulstad had never been hospitalized.
Outside of mild arthritis and taking blood pressure pills, the 67-year-old Vergas, Minnesota, resident felt like he was “the healthiest guy in the world.”
But Shulstad began to experience a new and unusual symptom — constipation for almost a week straight. It prompted him to meet with his primary care provider, Garrett Penton, a certified physician assistant practicing family medicine at the Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes Clinic.
“Garrett was sharp enough to run some blood work which showed that my white blood count was down,” explained Shulstad.
A computed tomography (CT) scan showed that Shulstad had developed an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
An aortic aneurysm is an enlargement and weakening in the wall of the aorta, the body’s largest artery. An artery carries blood from your heart. If an aneurysm goes undetected, it may burst, causing serious complications, including stroke and often fatal bleeding.
A normal aorta is about three centimeters in diameter. Shulstad’s was nine centimeters near his kidneys, and it had ruptured.
“It was like a pin hole, and blood was squirting out of it,” said Shulstad. “It would have gotten worse if I hadn’t gone in or done anything about it. They said blood was accumulating in my chest cavity, which my body was trying to absorb. This could possibly explain why I was constipated for so long.”
Shulstad was quickly prepped for surgery before being airlifted via helicopter from Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes to Essentia Health-Fargo.
“Only one in five people survive a ruptured AAA,” explained Dr. Adam DeFoe, an interventional radiologist at Essentia. “We were able to quickly treat Arden with an endovascular aortic repair. This involved exposing his groin arteries through small incisions, and placing an endograft — a flexible fabric-covered tube — into his aorta to seal up the aneurysm from the inside.”
Shulstad recalls waking up three days later with family all around him.
“My first thought was, ‘Wow, I’m alive,’ ” he admits. “I believe the fast action and teamwork of the Detroit Lakes and Fargo teams saved my life.”
Shulstad has since fully recovered and is back to walking his dog, Charlie, a mile a day. He’s also made it a priority to stay on top of yearly recommended screenings and encourages others to do the same.
When to seek care
Aneurysms usually grow slowly without any symptoms and can impact any artery in the body. This is why it’s so important to talk with your primary care physician about your risk and any recommended screenings.
People with an AAA may experience back pain, a pulse felt around the belly button or a dull ache or pain in the belly or side of belly.
A ruptured aneurysm requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms can include sudden pain in your lower back, abdomen or legs; fast heart rate; low blood pressure; nausea and vomiting; and clammy skin.
Risk Factors
While both men and women can have AAA, it's more common in men. General risk factors include smoking history; family history; older age (65 and up); having other aneurysms; high blood pressure or cholesterol; and heart or vascular disease. Caucasians are more susceptible to AAAs.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, including among both men and women in the United States. February is American Heart Month and is the perfect time to check in on your heart health, schedule an appropriate screening and consider lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.
More Essentia Health news
Visit the Essentia Health Newsroom for other important updates, patient stories and media resources.
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About Essentia Health
Essentia Health’s mission is to make a healthy difference in people’s lives. We relentlessly pursue that mission at our 14 hospitals, 80 clinics, 29 retail pharmacies, six long-term care facilities, three assisted living facilities, three independent living facilities, seven ambulance services and one research institute. Essentia has about 15,500 employees, including 2,350 physicians and advanced practitioners who provide expert, compassionate care. We’re privileged to serve patients in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
