[Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm].

Between January 1, 1970 and March 1, 1985 530 patients underwent graft replacement of the abdominal aorta for infrarenal aortic aneurysms. 28 (5.3%) patients had inflammatory aneurysmal disease, in 3 cases (10.7%) the aneurysm was ruptured. Operation mortality was 17.3%. Characteristic appearance was an unusually thick aortic wall with diffuse, shiny white fibrotic reaction in the retroperitoneum. In most cases the duodenum, inferior vena cava, left renal vein, transverse mesocolon or the ureter were involved into the inflammatory mass. Thoracic aortic involvement was not observed. Contrast CT showed enhancement of the periaortic tissue similar to the blood in the aortic lumen. Standard operation techniques had to be modified to avoid mobilisation of the adherent structures and organs to the aorta.