[Aneurysms of the celiac trunk. Review of the literature. Personal deductions apropos of 2 cases].

Aneurysm of the celiac trunk is the rarest lesion of this type reported in the digestive arterial system. Two cases are reported and the 78 lesions of a similar nature documented in the literature reviewed. The etiology at the present time is mainly atheroma in the over 50' s and dysplasia of the elastic tissue in young subjects. Clinical diagnosis is difficult since symptomatic forms are the cause of errors and latent forms frequent (41 p. 100 of cases). Preoperative angiography must be a complete investigation and allows study of splanchnic vascularization and the presence of collaterals. When there are no contraindications, surgical treatment can prevent progression to rupture. After resection or reduction of the aneurysm revascularization may be envisaged but is not essential: --in the first case reported the failure of revascularization proved its inutility, --whereas failure in the second case led to severe hepatic and gallbladder complications. Successful results have been obtained in 90 p. 100 of 41 cases operated upon since the initial surgical treatment performed by Shumaker in 1958 [47].