Late Rupture of a Thrombosed Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm – a Case Report

Introduction: Severe back pain caused by a thrombosed and ruptured aortic abdominal aneurysm can imitate a lumbar disc herniation. Case presentation: We present the case of a 72-year-old diabetic patient with chronic atrial fibrillation, who had been experiencing high-intensity low back pain and claudication in the last year prior to his presentation. After experiencing a minor trauma, a lumbar MRI examination was performed, which revealed a retroperitoneal tumoral mass compressing and eroding the L2–L4 vertebral bodies. Computed tomography angiography showed an infrarenal aortic aneurysm (3.374 × 3.765 cm) which appeared to have ruptured and thrombosed. The question arising was when did the rupture occur, how massive was the damage, and how suitable for reconstruction was the aortic wall below the origin of the renal arteries. An open repair was scheduled and performed. The intraoperative finding was ruptured aneurysm of the thrombosed infra-abdominal aorta. The thrombosis extended along the common iliac and external iliac branches. We performed an aortobifemoral bypass using a 16 × 8 mm Dacron graft, clamping the aorta above the origin of the renal arteries. Conclusion: The unintentional diagnosis, due to a minor fall, was overall a fortunate event for this patient. Aortic aneurysms may present with lumbar pain that can be mistakenly interpreted as a spinal issue.

Chest wall infarction following bilateral internal mammary harvesting for coronary revascularization in a patient with previous aortic abdominal aneurysm surgery: a rare complication.

A 75 years old man with previous aortic abdominal aneurysm surgery through a transverse laparotomy underwent bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). He immediately thereafter developed a severe chest and upper abdominal walls ischemia with metabolic acidosis, and finally deep sternum wound infection and upper abdominal wall necrosis. He benefitted from sternal reconstruction and vaccum assisted treatment, with delayed pectus major flap reconstruction. Chest and abdominal wall infarction following BIMA harvesting is a very rare but life-threatening complication. Caution use of BIMA should be in order in patients with inferior epigastric artery flow impairment.

The evaluation of the postoperative course in patients operated due to abdominal aortic aneurysm as urgent or elective procedure

Introduction. The patients with the aortic abdominal aneurysm of 55mm in diameter are qualified for surgery. There is open repair (OR) by means of the vascular prosthesis implantation or the less invasive endovascular method by means of the stent graft implantation through femoral arteries incision (EndovascularAorticRepair - EVAR). The aim of the study was the evaluation of the postoperative course in patients operated due to the aortic abdominal aneurysm and the evaluation of the impact of the surgical method on the short-time results. Material and methods. 124 patients operated due to the abdominal aortic aneurysm in Dept of Surgery of 4th Military Hospital in Wroclaw in 2014 were enrolled into the study: 53 patients with OR, 53 patients with EVAR, and 19 patients with a ruptured aneurysm. Results. Mortality was 0% in EVAR and 6% in OR and 39% in a ruptured aneurysm. Time of hospital stay was 5.8 days in EVAR vs 10 days in OR. The stay in ICU was 0% in EVAR vs 13% in OR. Blood transfusion was 9.4% in EVAR vs 66% in OR. Time of postoperative analgesia was 27 h in EVAR vs 76.8 h in OR. Cardio-respiratory decompensation was 1.9% in EVAR vs 7.6% in OR. Renal insufficiency was 2% in EVAR vs 9% in OR. The lower rate of organ complications was in EVAR. The ruptured aneurysm presented the most complicated postoperative course: hospital stay of 11.4 days, ICU stay of 78%, blood transfusion of 100%, painkillers of 136 hours, cardio-respiratory decompensation of 81% and renal insufficiency of 69%. Conclusions. The method of treatment, the conditions of the admission and the type of surgery influenced the postoperative course. The elective EVAR patients presented both the 0% of mortality and the lightest postoperative course. The ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms operated as an emergency had the most complicated postoperative course.