Een 94-jarige man met een prominente zwelling van de linkerarm

A patient with left arm edema and collateral circulation A 94-year-old man was referred to the general internist because of an impressive swelling of the left arm since six weeks, without response to low-molecular-weight heparins. Since a thoracic mass was suspected, a CT scan was performed, revealing a giant aortic aneurysm with compression on the left anonymous vein. This presentation is believed to be unique for a thoracic aortic aneurysm. A few cases of a superior vena cava syndrome have been described as a consequence of a thoracic aortic aneurysm, but none with only isolated left arm edema and collateral circulation on the trunk.