MULTIPLE SACCULAR ANEURYSMS OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTA: A CASE REPORT AND SHORT REVIEW OF RISK FACTORS FOR RUPTURE ON CT SCAN

Saccular abdominal aortic aneurysms (SAAA) are rare types of abdominal aortic aneurysm. It has a higher risk of rupture, hence must be repaired at smaller diameter. Mortality from rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is high and has been reported to be about 90%. This is the case of a 37-year-old woman with chronic waist pain and abdominal discomfort. Clinical examinations revealed a pulsating abdominal mass. Doppler ultrasound and abdominopelvic contrast enhanced CT scan showed multiple saccular aneurysms of the infrarenal abdominal aorta. This patient had no identified predisposing factor. She was being worked up for surgery, but eventually died of rupture, the most dreaded complication 3 days prior to surgical repair. The risk factors for rupture found in this patient were the size and type (saccular) of the aneurysm, intraluminal thrombus in addition to the multiplicity of the aneurysm as well as their adjacent positions; that probably led to arterial wall stress.