Rare Presentation of a Syphilitic Aneurysm of the Infrarenal Aorta with Contained Rupture

• Published in: Annals of vascular surgery Vol. 47; pp. 279.e13 - 279.e17
• Main Authors: Chitragari, Gautham, Laux, Anne T., Hicks, Taylor D., Davies, Mark G., Haidar, Georges M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.02.2018
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain - etiology; Aneurysm, Infected - diagnostic imaging; Aneurysm, Infected - microbiology; Aneurysm, Infected - surgery; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - microbiology; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - surgery; Aortic Rupture - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Rupture - microbiology; Aortic Rupture - surgery; Aortography - methods; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; Computed Tomography Angiography; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Syphilis, Cardiovascular - diagnosis; Syphilis, Cardiovascular - microbiology; Syphilis, Cardiovascular - surgery; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0890-5096; 1615-5947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2017.07.041

We report, to our knowledge, the first case of a rare syphilitic infrarenal aortouniiliac aneurysm with contained rupture that presented with midepigastric abdominal pain. Review of the patient's medical history revealed untreated syphilis and poorly treated congestive heart failure. Given his comorbidities, the patient was treated with an emergent endovascular aneurysm repair. His 30-day postoperative recovery period was uneventful, and follow-up imaging revealed complete resolution of the aneurysms. Syphilitic infrarenal aortic aneurysm is currently considered a rare entity in this era of antibiotics. The present article provides a brief case report and short review of literature pertaining to syphilitic aortic aneurysms.