Aneurysm of the abdominal aorta in a young woman. Atherosclerotic or inflammatory in origin?

The case is described of a 27 year old woman with aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. In the absence of any signs of atherosclerotic disease, an inflammatory aetiology was suspected, a view that was supported by the macroscopic intraoperative findings and preoperative autoimmune assays. The literature on this rare pathology is examined.